Forbidden Dreams
by Merchant-Love
Summary: It started as a simple dream, one Gene never wanted to have. But what happens when he has more of them? Is there something he's been denying all this time? FredxGene PostSeries
1. The Dream

_It was a full moon, one of those rare nights when there actually was one. The moon shined into a room where two lovers lied still. Well, one was still, the other was moving slowly across the other's body. _

_It was heaven, pure heaven. The way this man touched the other, what else could you call this but heaven? The taller of the two looked down at the one he loved, watching the redhead breathe heavily. He was enjoying this, and his lover was too. His lover looked up with dark eyes full of desire, and a smile played about the taller man's lips. _

_A whispered plea was heard, which caused the taller male to continue with his actions, as he touched his lover's scarred skin. The redhead's rough skin felt like silk under the other man's touches. _

_The dark-haired male shook the bangs out of his eyes, examining his lover's body slowly. How he loved this body, had desired to hold it in his arms for so long. He leaned down and kissed at his lover's lips, deeply. His lover returned the kiss with a small moan. _

_"Please...". Another plea, and if only he could hear how it sounded. The dark-haired male continued to kiss down his redhead's body, loving the small noises being emitted from the man below him. _

_He continued to touch the other's skin with his fingers, looking up when his lover shivered. He had found a sensitive spot, and he smiled. He moved his hand into the other's, holding it gently. "I..need you...", the redhead pleaded._

_"Don't worry...I'll take care of you...I promise I will", the taller male whispered, looking down at the other's face. He caressed the other's face, and the redhead leaned into the touch. The dark-haired man smiled some more, wrapping his arms around his lover's waist, pulling him close. _

_The same man held the other gently for some moments, placing gentle kisses on his lover's neck. He felt the one beneath him wrap his arms around him, giving complete trust to the one above him. _

_Skin met skin, flesh met flesh. And soon...bodies met other bodies. The redhead moaned when his lover's body met his own. They were no longer in this bedroom, for the uke of this moment felt like he was floating in space. He was swimming in the dark abyss, not wanting to return to the gravity of the real world. _

_Yet his lover's movements brought this man back to reality, back to his senses. He started making noises, noises he never thought, or knew, he could make. The taller male caressed the other's hair as he moved, claimed the body beneath him. _

_Seconds turned to minutes, minutes turned to hours. Hours and hours of pure bliss, the kind the redhead could never imagine was possible. He loved what the other was doing to his body. _

_Every moment brought even more pleasure, pleasure that would bring them closer to the edge. Soon, they were nearing that very edge, and the shorter male's moans grew louder. _

_The taller male could feel it too, but he didn't want to stop, he was too fueled by the other's moaning._

_The intensity of the situation grew, as every second brought them closer to falling over the edge. Soon, that moment had arrived. _

_They could feel themselves slipping over that edge fast, until they finally released all the ecstasy that had built up inside of them. They fell back onto the bed, panting and sweating heavily. _

_"I..love you...Fred...", the redhead whispered after a few moments. The one above him took a few minutes to regain himself, and smiled. _

_"I love you too..Gene...", the one above said redhead replied. Then they sealed their love in an everlasting kiss, and the whole world went black._

Gene woke up from the dream he was having with a gasp. His forehead was sweating, and he was panting slightly. _Another one of THOSE dreams..._, he thought, leaning up in his bed.

He wiped the sweat away from his forehead as he made his way out of his room, heading towards the bathroom right down the hall. He turned on the faucet, and splashed cool water over his face.

"Why am I having these dreams? These dreams...that I don't want to have...?", he asked himself quietly, trailing off at the last train of thought. He sighed heavily, and went back to his room.

It was still the middle of the night, and Gene wasn't going to wake up any of the others just because he had more of these kind of dreams. The worst part of it, was that Gene's body had reacted to that dream.

_Dammit..._, he cursed to himself mentally, crawling into his bed and curling up. "I'll have to think about this...tomorrow...", he whispered to the night, and fell asleep again.

The next morning, around 11 AM, everyone except Gene was wide awake. Melfina was in the kitchen making breakfast, while Jim was checking information on his laptop and adding more into it at the counter. The others had left earlier, so it was only the three of them in the ship.

Jim looked up after a few minutes, noticing that Gene had still not come out of his room. He just stared off down the hallway, expecting Gene to just walk on by.

"What is that lazy ass doing? Must be slacking off, AGAIN. Honestly...every time I need to talk to him, he's in bed", Jim said to no one in particular.

Melfina finished breakfast, and served it onto some plates. She brought two of them over to the counter, and set one in front of Jim, and one beside him.

"I'm sure he'll be up in a few minutes", she replied, smiling brightly. Jim just looked at her with a hint of sympathy, and sighed. That's when Gilliam wandered into the room.

Jim turned to Gilliam, and addressed him. "Gilliam...do me a favor and go wake Gene up. We have things to do today"

"Affirmative, be right back", Gilliam responded, heading out of the kitchen.

Gilliam headed into Gene's room, and stared at him as he slept. "Gene...wake up. It's late morning, please don't make a habit out of sleeping in", he said to Gene's sleeping form.

Gene turned on his side, having been woken up completely by Gilliam's voice. "Leave me alone..", he simply responded.

"Now, now...you have things to do today, and it was Jim's request anyways", Gilliam replied matter-of-factly.

Gene groaned a bit, then finally sat up. "Fine, I'm up. Please leave", he ordered. Gilliam turned and headed out of Gene's room then, leaving Gene to sigh heavily.

Gene got out of bed and started getting dressed. He headed into the bathroom to freshen up, then came out fully dressed and prepared for the day. He went into the kitchen, and sat down. He began to eat his breakfast in silence.

Jim was already finished, and just looked at Gene. "About time you woke up...you'd sleep through a Kei Pirate attack", he stated.

"Shut up...I had a rough night", Gene replied in an annoyed tone. He quickly finished his breakfast to get rid of just WHAT was so rough about it. He got up after he was done, and put his plate in the sink. He gave a gentle smile to Melfina then.

"Thanks for breakfast...it was good, as usual", he commented, chuckling a bit. Melfina giggled softly, and just gave Gene a warm hug. Gene blinked a bit, then his smile grew as he returned the hug.

"Gene..can I see you in the back room? It's important", Jim finally said, not wanting to interrupt the other two. He headed into said back room, and waited for Gene. Gene watched him for a moment, then headed after him, giving a slight bow to Melfina.

Once he was in the back room with Jim, he shut the door. "So what is it? It'd better be important, like you said it was", Gene questioned. Jim just gave a nod to Gene

"Of course it is...we need to make the daily checklist. Let's see...how are we on supplies?", Jim asked, looking down the list on his portable PC.

"Supplies are fine, we have enough to last for another two weeks. That's a check for the list", Gene replied. Jim pressed a button on the PC, placing a check by "Supplies".

"Okay...now parts for the ship, are they in good condition?", Jim continued, looking up at Gene. Gene thought about it a moment, then nodded. Jim pressed a button and placed a check by "Ship Parts".

"Now...the most important thing of all. This is what I really needed to talk to you about", Jim stated, looking at Gene with a serious look in his eyes. Gene saw the look, and got serious himself.

"I'm listening...give it to me straight Jim", Gene replied, rubbing his head a bit, and stretching out his arms. Jim looked at his PC, then at Gene, as if he was hesitating on telling Gene what he needed to say. He then finally spoke up, his focus on Gene again.

"To put it in simple terms...we're running low on funds. If this happens, we'll be broke within the next two days", Jim responded, closing his eyes. Gene's eyes widened in surprise.

"Two days?! How can that be?! We had more than enough in our funds last week, so I was sure we'd last for a little while!", Gene exclaimed. Jim opened his eyes again, giving Gene an annoyed look. That's when he reprimanded Gene on his statements.

"Well a certain SOMEONE I could mention has been going out drinking this past week, and buying needless things! That's why we're low on funds, because of how RECKLESS you are with our money!", Jim shouted, looking seriously peeved. Gene sighed, and looked down.

"Guess you're right...I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time, I promise!", Gene stated, putting his hands together, as if begging for forgiveness. Jim just crossed his arms, looking away.

"Not my problem...", he replied. Gene blinked in confusion, and started wondering what Jim meant. He decided to ask him about it.

"What do you mean by that? We're in this together, so we'll have to think of something together", Gene stated, looking at Jim. Jim looked at Gene again, and held up his index finger.

"We're in need of money, right?", he asked. Gene blinked, and then nodded. Jim then tilted his finger towards the right. "So we're gonna need to get some, right?", he continued. Gene nodded again, whatever Jim was trying to say wasn't clicking just yet.

"So...what do we do when we're in desperate need of money Gene?", Jim asked, his eyelids lowering at Gene. Gene and Jim then had a staring match for about 3 minutes, before it finally hit Gene.

"Oh no...", Gene replied solemnly, slinking to the ground. _Why me? Why now? I don't want to...I can't see him right now, _he thought to himself. Jim just snickered, and nodded.

After a few minutes, Gene and Jim finally came out of the back room. Jim looked like he had just won a prize, and Gene looked like he had just lost his most precious possession. Melfina looked at the two, becoming very curious at their expressions.

"What's going on? Did something happen?", she asked them both. Gene didn't respond, nor did Jim. They ignored her for a few minutes as they headed towards the door, and once they were there, Gene yelled back.

"We're going out for a bit, so wait up for us!", he called out to Melfina, before opening the door and heading out. Jim waved back to her, smiling as he followed Gene out into the West Virginia Spaceport.

------------------------------------------------------------------**SCENE CHANGE!**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gene was dreading this visit, every cell in his body was twitching just thinking about it. Something about Fred just unnerved him, made him feel weird. He couldn't put his finger on what it was exactly, but it had to be a big something.

"Gene! Watch the road!", Jim shouted. Gene looked up, and quickly swerved to avoid an oncoming car. The car beeped at him, and Gene just growled and ignored the curses that followed.

_What is wrong with me? I'm getting worked up over nothing. I mean, it was only a dream, nothing more...right?, _Gene thought, driving past some buildings as he reached Hugo.

Gene pulled up to Fred's building after a few minutes of driving through the city of Hugo, and shut off the car. He and Jim both got out of the car, and Gene looked up at the building. It stood out more than the rest, but it WAS Fred Luo after all, so it probably would anyways.

"Just let me get through this...", Gene mumbled to himself, looking down. Jim was already at the door, and turned around and called to Gene.

"Gene! Come on, don't stand around like a dumbass, someone will hit you!", he shouted out. Gene snapped out of his reverie, and headed up to the door with Jim. They both walked into Fred's building, preparing for another meeting.

They got on the elevator, and pushed the button to go up. They didn't feel like walking up the stairs, so they took the easy way. After a minute, the elevator dinged and the doors opened. Gene and Jim walked onwards, until they reached the door to Fred's office. Two bodyguards stood beside the door, and one of them smirked as he saw Gene.

Gene didn't look at the smirking bodyguard, as he opened the door to the office and stepped inside with Jim. One of the bodyguards closed the door behind them both, and Gene just stared ahead. There, sitting behind his desk, was the one called Fred Luo, the one who Gene was always reluctant to see.

Fred was busy talking on his phone, and it sounded like an important call. He was leaning back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other. He was playing with his earlobe, something Gene was always curious about. However, he felt a dark cloud looming over his head.

He felt like he should run, that he should escape this place as quickly as possible. That's when Fred noticed them both, and gave a cheerful smile. He ended his phone call, then turned to face them both, standing up from his chair.

"Well, look who's back. I hear you're having money troubles again, but I'm used to your phone calls by now so it doesn't surprise me", Fred commented, chuckling a bit as he made his way over to the two, Gene in particular.

Gene made a slightly annoyed face. _Damn...missed my chance again..._, he thought before speaking up. "Cut the wise cracks, we're here to borrow money. We just have so much use for it, that it just disappears in an instant", Gene stated, smirking a bit to cover up his lie. Jim made a face at the lie.

_Whatever Gene...I think he knows you're lying by now,_ Jim thought. Indeed, Fred did know. He made a soft "Hmm" sound in his throat, a finger on his chin. He then smiled more, and reached out to hug Gene.

Gene saw this, and his reaction was quicker this time. Seeing Fred reaching for him, he quickly took a step back, and out of Fred's reach. He looked away, and at the floor. Fred blinked at this, and then his expression changed. It went from a cheerful expression, to one that you might have if you were told that your true love had just died. He dropped his hands, and turned away, walking back to his desk.

Gene looked up in time to see that look, and his eyes widened a bit. Then he let out a soft gasp, and his eyes relaxed. _That look...I've never seen it before...but why?,_ he thought to himself. Jim saw it too, and looked up at Gene. Why did seeing that look make Gene feel like he had just killed his best friend? Gene shook off the thoughts, and went over and sat on a chair.

"We're here for the money...that's it. We'll be on our way afterwards", Gene said, assuming his regular tone once again. Fred turned to face them both, as Jim sat beside Gene. He had a cheerful smile plastered on his face.

"Of course you are, I knew that already. I know you have things to do, so I won't keep you, I promise", Fred responded, running a finger along the side of Gene's neck. This caused Gene to shiver, and he smacked the hand away on reflex. Fred just giggled, while Gene was thinking about how he hated when Fred teased him.

"So..how much are we asking for here?", Fred finally asked. Jim decided to speak up this time.

"A couple thousand should be enough right now. We have to keep up with supplies and fees and all that, but this time we'll be able to pay it back in full", he replied. He and Fred then started talking about the arrangements, while Gene was left with his thoughts.

_Why did that happen? I saw that look on his face...it was so sad. Why do I feel so guilty about it? Why can't I figure myself out?! Shit...what the hell is wrong with me?, _Gene mused, and was startled when Jim tapped him on the shoulder.

"It's done..we're leaving now", Jim said, and Gene nodded. He stood up, and looked at Fred, who was staring at him. He flushed a bit, and gave a polite nod to Fred before turning to walk out the door. Jim waved to Fred, and Fred waved back. He watched them both leave, and sighed a bit, leaning back on his desk

Gene and Jim made their way to the elevator, with Jim being excited about having money again. He started rambling on about all the things they could do with it, but Gene wasn't listening. Before they reached the elevator, Gene stopped mid-walk. Jim was already on the elevator, and looked at Gene.

"Aren't you coming?", he asked. Gene was looking at the floor, as if he was thinking about something. He then turned around and began walking back to Fred's office.

"Go wait in the car..I'll be right there", Gene responded, waving Jim off. Jim nodded, and headed down and out of Fred's building, getting into the car. He looked up at the building once more, wondering what Gene had to do.

Meanwhile, Gene went back to the door to Fred's office, and walked inside. The bodyguards looked at him confused, yet just watched him. Fred looked up at hearing the door open, and was surprised to see that Gene had come back.

"Gene? What's wrong? Is everything all right?", Fred asked, tilting his head a bit. Gene finally looked up, and gave Fred a warm smile. Fred blushed a bit as he saw that Gene was actually smiling at him.

"Yeah...I'm fine. Nothing's wrong...don't worry about it", Gene replied. Before Fred could say anything else, Gene went up to him and pulled the taller male into a hug. Fred was left speechless, and could only stand there for a moment, before he returned the hug, resting his head against Gene's shoulder.

Gene pulled away from Fred after a bit, then turned away from him. "I'll see you again...sometime", Gene stated, before heading out of Fred's office and out of the building. He didn't want to think about why he had hugged Fred until later on.

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**A/N:** Yeah..I hope I did this right now. I want to be sure to put my best effort into this fic, since I want it to be just right. Bet you can't guess what my OTP is? I knew you couldn't! XP J/K...but if you must flame it, those flames will be used to burn the fires of passion in my mind.


	2. Meetings

Once Gene had left the building, Fred stood staring at his closed office door. One of his hands was over his mouth, but he wasn't shocked. Surprised was the correct term for what he was feeling, because Fred would've never guessed that Gene would hug him.

_It was a hug, not a kiss. It was only a hug, but that's fine, I'm not rushing him into anything, _Fred thought to himself. He let out a soft sigh, and walked back behind his desk, taking a seat. As he did so, one of his bodyguards came into the office.

"Excuse me Master Luo, but what did Mr. Starwind want?", the bodyguard asked. Fred just gave a shake of his head, and gave the bodyguard a soft smile. The bodyguard knew that meant something good, and just gave a soft smile in return.

The phone rang in front of Fred's desk, and both he and his bodyguard looked at it. Fred reached over, and picked up the receiver. "Hello, you have reached Luo Enterprises. How may I help you today?", he greeted.

There was some silence, as the caller began to state his business. After a few minutes, Fred nodded. "I see...so you want to schedule the meeting for today? Okay, I'm free the rest of the day. I'll head right over, thanks for your call". Fred hung up the receiver, and stood up.

"Business call?", his bodyguard asked. Fred didn't answer him right away, he just grabbed his cell phone, and pocketed it. He then turned to the bodyguard, as he opened his office door.

"I need you to stay here and take orders for me. Put them in my computer, and if any calls come in, transfer them to the machine. I'm heading out", Fred stated, giving a polite bow to his bodyguard.

Fred headed out of his building with two of his other bodyguards, and got into a car that was waiting for him in front of the building. He sat back, as the car headed to his ship at the space port. _Another boring meeting..._, he thought to himself.

---------------------------------------------------**SCENE CHANGE------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Meanwhile, Gene was in the middle of driving back to the West Virginia Spaceport. Jim had questioned him about what he had forgotten, and Gene had told him it was nothing.

Jim wasn't convinced, and once they had arrived back at the port, he decided to question Gene again. "Come on, it had to be something. Tell me what it was", he said.

Gene just walked back into the Outlaw Star. "Just drop it Jim, I told you it was nothing", he replied. Jim just followed him in, mumbling to himself. "I heard that...", Gene said, glancing over his shoulder.

Melfina heard them return, and came out to greet them. "Welcome back, glad to see you're safe. I made lunch while you were gone", she responded, giving a gentle smile. Gene returned it, and patted her shoulder.

He headed into the kitchen again, only to see that Ashia and Suzuka had returned. "So there he is. I heard you were having money troubles, and had to go see your boyfriend", Ashia said, turning to Gene.

"Shut up! He's not my damn boyfriend, man...stop getting on my ass", Gene cried out, sitting at the counter, looking annoyed. Suzuka drank some more of her tea, hiding a small smile in her cup.

"No need to get defensive Gene, she was only joking. Unless...there's something you're not telling us?", Suzuka stated, looking over at Gene. Gene just sat and ate the food that was placed at his seat in silence, getting more annoyed by the minute.

Jim came in a few minutes later with Melfina, and spoke up. "Sorry to intrude, I didn't want to get in the way of Gene's denial", he teased. Melfina looked at Jim, then at Gene, tilting her head a bit.

"Denial? Gene's been keeping something from us?", she asked. This only caused Ashia to snicker into her hand, and finally Gene stood up.

"I don't have to sit here and listen to everyone's bullshit, now everyone just LEAVE ME ALONE!", Gene exclaimed, heading into his room. Melfina blinked in confusion, as Jim took a seat at the counter.

"Gene should know that yelling like that only serves to add to the suspicion", Suzuka commented. Ashia and Jim started snickering in unison, as Melfina just stared down the hallway.

Gene went into his room, and climbed into his bed, sighing heavily. "What a day...I'm tired of everyone...I need to sleep this off", he said to himself, lying on his back and going to sleep.

Hours passed, and afternoon turned into nightfall. Jim had went out to buy dinner, to save Melfina the cooking time. Melfina was grateful for that, but didn't think Jim needed to go through all the trouble of walking around at night.

Jim returned at about 8:30, carrying two bags full of take-out. He passed by Gene's room, only to hear some suggestive noises coming from inside. He made a face at the door, and headed into the kitchen.

Setting the food down, Jim turned to Melfina. "Did Gene go somewhere while I was gone?", he asked. Melfina looked at him, and shook her head.

"No, he was in his room all this time. Why? Is something the matter?", she replied. Jim just stood there, glancing back at Gene's room.

"No..forget it. Gene won't be leaving his room any time soon, so we'll leave some dinner for him to eat later", Jim said, pulling out some food from the bag.

Gene was busy tossing and turning in his bed, while in the middle of another one of his haunting dreams.

_Gene could feel the cold wall on his heated skin, since his back was against it. Fred was in front of him, placing kisses on Gene's neck and chest. _

_His hands were busy touching Gene in places Gene wouldn't think to let a man touch. But Gene wasn't fighting back, and he didn't look like he was being forced either. "Fred...stop, I can't handle it. Don't tease..I can't..", he was saying._

_Fred looked up at Gene, his dark eyes full of desire. He was like a hunter who had come upon his greatest catch, that catch being Gene. He stood up some more, pressing his body against Gene's, and whispering into his ear._

_"You're the one teasing me...the way you were playing hard-to-get, avoiding me so I wouldn't know. You've been denying me for some time Gene, so I'm giving you..everything you could want out of me", Fred said, taking Gene's earlobe into his mouth and gently sucking on it, causing a soft moan to escape Gene's lips._

_Gene reached out, placing his hands on Fred's chest. He knew Fred was right, he knew he wanted him at this very moment. He couldn't move because his body was pinned to the wall by Fred's. Yet he felt him, felt that Fred wanted him just as much as Gene wanted him right now._

_Gene was interrupted then by soft lips on his own. He closed his eyes, and returned the kiss that was being given to him, while he felt the other's hands pulling at the rest of his clothes. Gene found himself pulling at the other's clothes as well, and soon he lost control._

_He broke free of Fred's body, and pushed against him, until Fred fell backwards onto a bed. Gene pulled clothing after clothing off of Fred's body, wanting to feel his skin. He ran his hands over Fred's soft skin, earning little noises of pleasure from Fred. _

_Gene broke their kiss off, panting a bit. He looked down at Fred, and saw how submissive he looked. He memorized every detail of Fred's body, every curve and every muscle. _

_"Gene...let me be..your possession. I'll belong to you...only you", Fred whispered between heavy out takes of breath. Gene looked into Fred's eyes, and saw that now Fred was the prize, and Gene the hunter. He felt a need to claim his prize, so he did._

_He trailed kisses down Fred's body, licking the sweat that ran down Fred's chest. Who knew that skin could taste so good? Who knew it could feel like this? Gene decided not to question it further, and just continued down Fred's body, listening to Fred's every moan, every whimper, and every whine._

After that, Gene woke up instantly, feeling sweat all over his body. He sat up in his bed, and looked around. The ship was dark, signaling everyone else must've went to bed already.

Gene climbed out of bed, and headed out of his room, looking down the hallway. There wasn't a sound, so he knew then that everyone else was asleep. He sighed a bit, and headed outside the ship

Once outside, Gene took in how good the cool air felt. He walked over to a nearby field, and leaned against a tree there. He looked up at the stars, and listened to the wind and the sounds of the night.

Gene crossed his arms over himself, closing his eyes. Images of when he hugged Fred passed through his mind. Gene shook them off, and opened his eyes again. He put his arms down again, staring ahead into the distance.

He remembered how Fred's body had felt, how different it was. Gene had been hugged by a lot of women before, including Melfina, and yet they didn't feel the same as Fred. Gene thought it could've been because Fred was a man, but that was too obvious of a reason.

For some reason, it didn't feel wrong to hug Fred. Gene thought it felt comforting, it felt protective. _Protective...yeah right. Like I want to be protected by him..., _Gene thought to himself.

At that moment, Jim came wandering up to Gene. He looked wide awake, and tugged at Gene's sleeve, snapping Gene out of his thoughts. "You were asleep for a while you know..", he stated matter-of-factly.

"I know...I was just tired, I needed to sleep off some stress", Gene responded, still looking ahead. Jim leaned against the tree with Gene, and sighed.

"You know, we should go somewhere tomorrow. Get away from Sentinel for right now and find another adventure", Jim said after a few minutes. Gene glanced down at Jim, and nodded.

"We should...we'll definitely do that..tomorrow", Gene replied, heading back to the ship, with Jim following after him.

The next day at breakfast, Gene decided to make an announcement. "We're heading out of Sentinel, and going to a planet not too far from here. Call it a vacation, if you will", he stated. Melfina smiled cheerfully at him, as did Ashia.

"All right! A vacation means lots of food!", Ashia exclaimed cheerfully, heading to the bridge of the ship. Suzuka followed shortly afterwards, but didn't say a word.

"It's really nice that we're taking some time off like this Gene", Melfina complimented, looking at Gene. Gene just chuckled a bit, and motioned for her and Jim to head to the bridge. Both of them nodded, and went to the bridge to prepare for liftoff.

Once on the bridge, Gene fired up the engines on the ship. Melfina went into her tube, and connected to the ship's computer. "All systems green, preparing for liftoff in T-Minus 30 seconds", she stated.

"It will take us about half an hour to reach our set destination", Gilliam added. Gene just gave a small smirk, as he received clearance to take off from the port. The ship then took off, heading into space and away from the planet of Sentinel III.

Thirty minutes passed without any problems, and the crew finally arrived at their destination. They parked the ship into a port, and headed out. Once they left the space port, they took in the sights of the city they arrived in.

"Whoa! Nice...this is gonna be a fun vacation", Jim commented, heading off. Melfina quickly followed him so he wouldn't get lost. Gene just smiled, and followed after them, Ashia and Suzuka walking beside him.

They passed by many shops and street vendors, making their way into a park. They walked through it, and stopped once they got to a small bridge, and just watched the river water flow under it.

As they headed out of the park, Gene looked around. "Where to next? We have a lot more to see", Gene said, looking at everyone. They were about to respond, but just then, a loud voice called from behind them.

"GEEEEEENE!", shouted the voice, and Gene turned around then, only to be hugged tightly by Fred, who had just ran up to meet them. "It IS you Gene, I thought I recognized you all. This is great, us meeting up in the same place. Must be my lucky day", he continued, chuckling a bit.

Gene was surprised to see Fred, and gently pushed away from his embrace, clearing his throat. Jim looked at Fred, then at Gene, and grinned. "Hey Melfina, let's go over there. We can look for some new clothes for you", he said, leading Melfina away. Gene looked back, blinking.

"I'm getting hungry, how about we go look for a bite to eat Suzu?", Ashia asked, heading off. Suzuka followed behind Ashia, not saying a word. Gene took a step forward, reaching his hand out, starting to protest.

"Wait! Don't leave me here..come on guys!", he shouted, only to have his hand grabbed gently by Fred, who smiled even more.

"This is perfect, now we can spend some time together. Let's go!", Fred responded, pulling Gene along with him as he headed in the opposite direction of the others. Gene could only sigh, as he was now stuck with Fred, alone.

Fred led Gene through another part of the city, looking around at everything. Gene just followed, looking slightly flushed to be alone with Fred. Fred then ran over to look at a billboard advertising his company, and grinned.

"You're popular even out here, huh?", Gene asked, seeing the billboard. Fred nodded, and walked on down the sidewalk.

"These things are everywhere. You can't go to ANY planet without seeing something advertising my company. It gets overwhelming sometimes", Fred replied, looking over at something.

Gene just watched Fred, and continued walking. _I don't feel uncomfortable anymore...has he forgotten? I thought he'd be all over me after I hugged him...,_ he thought, only to be pulled to the side by Fred

"Careful Gene..you almost went into the road", Fred warned, smiling. Gene just chuckled a bit, noticing what he almost did as well. Fred then walked onwards, and quickly ran up to a vending machine, and bought drinks for the two of them.

Gene sat on a nearby bench, looking ahead at passerbys. Fred came over to Gene a few minutes later, handing him a drink and sitting beside him. Gene smiled, and opened the can, taking a sip from it.

"I've been meaning to ask you, what are you doing out here? It's uncommon to see you in a place like this", Gene said, looking over at Fred. Fred sipped at his drink, then looked at Gene.

"I got a call yesterday, one of the companies here developed a new product and they want me to purchase stock from them to sell through my own company. The boring business things you see", Fred replied. Gene just nodded, and looked ahead again

"You know, we haven't spent time together like this in a while. I missed our little escapades", Fred added on after a few minutes.

"I know...I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it as well", Gene replied, smiling. Fred stared at Gene with a serious look on his face, then stood up.

"Gene...would you mind coming with me?", Fred asked, turning to Gene. Gene blinked up at Fred in curiosity then, and got up and followed Fred. Fred led Gene through another park, and stopped by a fountain.

"I forgot to ask you the last time, so I'll tell you this now. Tomorrow, there's a party being held in my honor. They said I could bring a guest if I wanted, so I instantly thought of you", Fred explained.

Gene looked at Fred, then thought about his offer. _A party huh? Sounds interesting..._, he thought. He then looked up at Fred, and nodded. "Sure..I'll go, but it'd better be good", he replied.

Fred grinned, happy to hear that Gene would be going. "That's great! It'll be less boring if you're there. It'll be on Heifong of course, so don't make a big scene in front of the other guests. I've told them only good things about you", he said. Gene scowled a bit, hearing those words.

"I won't make a scene, you can trust me on that Freddy boy", Gene stated, smirking a bit. Fred giggled, then looked off to the side.

"Good..oh, and Gene? One more question, if you don't mind. Would you...come back here tonight? I want to show you something. I'll wait here at this fountain", Fred said, looking at Gene again.

Gene's eyes met Fred's, and he found that he couldn't say no to his best friend. "Sure...I'll be here", he replied, smiling gently. Fred returned the smile, and turned away, heading off. Gene stood there, watching Fred leave. _Here I go again...digging a bigger hole for myself_, he thought.

Gene headed out of the park, and decided to wander around some more. He didn't feel like doing anything at all the rest of the day. So once evening hit, Gene found himself right back at the park.

Fred was sitting by the fountain, looking at the ground. Gene smiled, and walked over and sat by him. "Hey there stranger, you look lonely", he teased, chuckling a bit. Fred looked up at him, and chuckled back.

"I'm glad you came, I really wanted you to see this", Fred said, standing up and heading away from the fountain. Gene got up and followed him. Fred stood in front of a clearing, looking down at the city below.

"What did you want me to see?", Gene asked. Fred looked at him, smiling. Fred pulled Gene over beside him, and pointed towards the city.

"Wait for it..and watch what happens", Fred replied. Just then, the lights from all the buildings came on, and it caused the city to be full of different lights. It was a beautiful sight. Gene just watched the lights, and smiled.

"You wanted me to see this? I don't blame you, it's very pretty", Gene said after a few minutes, placing a hand on Fred's shoulder. Fred placed a hand on Gene's hand, nodding. They stood there for a moment, before Fred went and sat under a tree.

Gene turned to look at Fred, then sat down beside him. Fred looked up at the stars, as the breeze blew through his dark hair. Gene looked up at them as well, remembering all the times he looked at them by himself.

After a few minutes, a shooting star streaked across the sky. "Gene look! Let's make a wish, because I have a feeling it just might come true", Fred exclaimed. Gene laughed at Fred's enthusiasm, and closed his eyes.

_I wish...that Fred would be happy, whether it'd be with me or not_, he thought, opening his eyes after a moment. He looked over, and saw that Fred's head was resting against his shoulder.

Upon closer examination, Gene saw that Fred had fallen asleep. He gave a warm smile, and looked back up at the starlit sky, letting Fred sleep peacefully.

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**A/N: **I get sick...and so I write another chapter XD. Call this a Christmas present for my readers, who I appreciate. I loved all the good reviews, so for those people, this is for you. Sorry if this wasn't as good as the 1st chapter, I try ;. Like I said, if you must flame this, I will take those flames and turn them into an M-rated fic that I will dedicate to you.


	3. Party Time

Fred woke up about an hour after he had fallen asleep, without realizing he had fallen asleep. He blinked, looking up at Gene. He then immediately sat up, blushing a bit once he saw that he had fallen asleep on Gene.

Gene looked over at Fred then, and gave a small smile. "You're awake I see, I didn't want to bother you so I just let you sleep", Gene stated. Fred nodded, then turned to look up at Gene.

"How long was I asleep?", he asked, watching Gene as he waited for a response from the other male. Gene looked up at the sky for a moment, as if making an estimate based on how the sky looked.

"I'd say close to an hour, but don't worry, the city lights are still on. I was about to fall asleep as well, but that would ruin the moment, wouldn't you say?", Gene replied, looking over at Fred then, giving a small chuckle. Fred caught the little joke and chuckled as well.

Fred then stood up, reaching his hand out to Gene to help him up. "We should get back to our associates, so that they don't worry about where we've been", he said. Gene took Fred's hand slowly, and Fred helped him to his feet.

Gene brushed himself off, as did Fred, and then they started walking away from the park. "Besides you falling asleep, I'd say this was quite a nice get together", Gene joked. Fred playfully hit Gene in the arm, causing Gene to laugh.

Fred gave Gene a mild glare, then smiled again. "I promise I won't fall asleep on you at the party tomorrow, it's just the business catching up with me", Fred said after a few minutes. Gene gave a slight shrug as if saying "Happens to us all". They continued to walk onwards in silence, with Fred leading Gene back to where he was staying.

They arrived at that place after a half hour walk, and Gene realized it was about 10 minutes from where he and the others were staying. He looked up at the hotel, and his eyelids lowered at how fancy it looked. _Figures, he always has to show off, _Gene thought to himself. Fred turned to face Gene then, and took Gene's hands in his gently.

"I look forward to seeing you at the party tomorrow. Oh, before I forget, you're going to have to dress kind of formally. You know the people I associate with, always judging others based on looks. I'm sorry Gene", Fred said, looking apologetic. Gene just smiled, and let go of one of Fred's hands, only to place that hand on Fred's cheek.

"I know, I'm not stupid you know. I'll see you tomorrow then, so be looking out for me", Gene replied, smiling gently. Fred placed his hand on Gene's, and smiled warmly. He then let go of Gene's other hand and hugged him tightly.

"I'll miss you, so don't be too late. Otherwise I might die of boredom by the time you get to the party", Fred commented. Gene glanced down at Fred for a moment, then returned the hug.

_It still feels weird to be hugging a man so casually, but it IS Fred after all, so I guess I can make an exception_, Gene thought to himself. He then blushed as Fred placed his forehead against Gene's, looking straight into his eyes. Gene could make out every detail of Fred's midnight blue eyes, ones that matched his own almost.

"I enjoyed our date Gene, and I hope we can go out more often in the future. Thank you for your time, and I will see you tomorrow", Fred said, before moving his head back a bit, tilting it, and placing a kiss on Gene's scarred cheek. Gene gasped a bit and blushed more, which caused Fred to giggle and quickly walk, or prance more than likely, away from Gene.

Fred stood in front of the hotel door, and turned and waved to Gene, giving him a wink and blew a kiss to him before wandering inside. Gene just stood with a hand over his cheek, and didn't move for a moment. _On second thought, maybe I shouldn't go to that party. I'm even more nervous now that THAT happened_, he thought, growling slightly and walking away. "Always with the teasing. I hate it, I hate it a lot", Gene mumbled to himself on the way back to the hotel he was staying at.

----------------------------------**SCENE CHANGE---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Jim set down the magazine he was reading once he saw Gene walk into the room. "Well, what a surprise. Didn't think I'd see you back tonight Gene, did you have _fun_ with Fred? Was he _gentle_ with you?", Jim teased, putting emphasis where it was needed while snickering a bit. Gene caught what he meant and hit Jim on the back of the head.

"It wasn't like that! We went to a park, that's all", Gene replied, sitting down in a chair. Jim rubbed the back of his head, muttering curses and whatnot before looking up at Gene.

"I'm still suspicious of you, you're never defensive when it comes to Fred", Jim added on, giving Gene a hard stare. This caught Gene off guard, and he thought about it for a moment.

_Am I really being THAT defensive? What am I trying to hide then? It can't be what it seems...it just can't be. He's my best friend, nothing more, _he thought, glancing around the room.

Jim sat back after a moment, closing his eyes. "Anyways..everyone else is asleep", he stated with a slightly angry tone, not looking at Gene. Gene looked at Jim again, and stared for a moment before speaking up.

"Aren't little boys supposed to be asleep as well?", he asked, causing Jim to get even angrier. Jim stood up, and growled at Gene before speaking to him again.

"I'm not a little kid! You're the little kid compared to me, never using your head and always acting on impulse!", Jim fired at Gene. Gene chuckled a bit, then looked to the side.

"Always acting on impulse...right", he said aloud, but it seemed like he was saying it to himself and not to Jim. He then stood up, and headed for his room. Jim watched him go, walking up to him.

"Going to bed? Listen, we should do something tomorrow", Jim said to Gene's back. Gene turned and glanced down at Jim, before replying.

"We need to leave tomorrow, I have something planned. We're going to Heifong", Gene simply said, walking into his room. Jim blinked at Gene, then questioned him.

"Why are we leaving so soon? What are these plans of yours that need to be done all the way out there?", Jim asked. Gene looked down at Jim, and after a few minutes, spoke up.

"Nothing that would concern or involve children", Gene replied, shutting the door to his room. Jim growled, then grabbed a blanket and pillow and went to the couch to set them down. He lied down on the couch then, covering up his whole body and going to sleep.

Meanwhile, Gene stood against the door, staring at the floor for a moment before going to his bed. He smiled at seeing Melfina sleeping in the bed next to him, before stripping down to his boxers and climbing into his own bed. Giving a slight yawn, he covered himself up and drifted off to sleep, and into another dream.

_Gene felt a body crawling into the bed beside him, and then felt an arm wrap around his waist. "Are you asleep?", asked a voice Gene recognized as Fred's._

_"Yes..now leave me alone", Gene replied, turning on his side. Fred only giggled, then crawled under the blanket with him._

_"Gene, you promised me we could sleep together tonight", Fred stated, running his hand along the front of Gene's body. Gene turned to look at Fred with half-lidded eyes, and Fred only smiled at him._

_Gene sighed a bit. "Fine, since you're already here", he simply said. Fred made a noise that sounded like a squeal of happiness, and began to remove his clothes. Gene watched Fred, and took in the sight of Fred's exposed body._

_His eyes wandered over Fred's toned chest and slightly toned abs, all the way down to his legs, which were slender as well. Soon, he felt fingers under his chin, and his head tilted up._

_"You're staring, that's not very nice", Fred said, placing a gentle kiss on Gene's lips. Gene blushed, then looked away. _

_"I wasn't staring..", he lied, closing his eyes. Fred moved closer to Gene, and leaned in to whisper in his ear._

_"If you want, I'll let you see everything. I'll only let you see every part of my body, as long as I can see yours", Fred whispered, nibbling at Gene's earlobe, causing a small groan to emit from Gene's lips._

_Gene blushed some more, before turning and wrapping his arms around Fred. "Why..why do you do this to me?", he asked, before capturing Fred's lips in a deep kiss, which turned heated very quickly._

_Soon kisses turned into needed touches, which turned into passionate actions that caused pleasure to each of the men in that bed._

Gene then felt a cold cloth over his face, which woke him up with a start. He panted a bit, then heard the voice of Jim.

"So he awakens, finally. Thought you were going to waste the day in bed Gene", Jim said. Gene grabbed the cloth, and threw it to the side. Jim went and retrieved it from the floor then.

"What the hell?! Haven't you ever heard of not interrupting someone when they're asleep? Dammit Jim...", Gene replied, rubbing his face. Jim gave him a look, then put the cloth in the bathroom where it was found.

"Everyone else is up and waiting for you. We should get going, so we can make good time to get to Heifong", Jim stated. Gene got up out of bed, not caring that he felt hot and that he was covered in sweat. He went into the bathroom as Jim exited it.

"Give me 10 minutes, then we'll leave", Gene said, gathering some clothes. Jim nodded, then went to the door of the room.

"By the way Gene...you were moaning in your sleep. You'd better do something about that", Jim said, walking out of the room and shutting the door. Gene blinked, then made a soft noise and turned on the shower.

Gene was out of the shower in 5 minutes, then out of his room in 3 minutes, looking refreshed and ready for the day. "Well guys, let's get out of here", he simply said, walking out the door to their room. Everyone else followed in silence as they exited the hotel building and went to the spaceport.

Once there, they entered the Outlaw Star and went to the kitchen. "Melfina, make us a quick breakfast. We have to kick it into gear if we want to make it to Heifong today", Gene commanded, sitting at the counter.

"Right, I'll get right to it!", Melfina replied, going to work on fixing breakfast. It was ready in another few minutes, and everyone sat down to eat. Once they were finished, they headed to the bridge.

"Let's hit it Gilliam, we're on a one-way course to Heifong", Gene shouted to Gilliam, who spoke immediately.

"All right, I'll set our destination for Heifong. It'll take us about two days from our current position", Gilliam replied. Gene shook his head, then set the controls for the trip.

"That's a negative, we have to get there tonight. We're going to have to risk traveling at higher speeds, but I know you can do it", Gene said, before preparing to blast off.

"Just be careful with the ship Gene", Gilliam warned. Melfina took her place in her tube, and prepared the navigation system.

"All systems green, ready when you are Gene", Melfina said after a few minutes. Gene nodded, then once he got clearance, blasted out of the space port. Once they were clear of the planet's gravitational field, Gene called out.

"Hold on tight guys, this is going to be a hell of a ride. Let's hope we don't get our asses vaporized", Gene said, before kicking it into high gear and blasting off at the speed of light just about.

Jim, Ashia and Suzuka held their heads down to avoid getting sick from the speed, and Gene just held on as they traveled through one gate jump, and finally another after about 4 hours. Once they passed that jump, Gene slowed the ship down, sighing.

"We have made it into Heifong space, it'll be another 6 hours before we arrive", Gilliam announced. Gene looked up then, and rubbed his head.

"Guess we made it out okay. All right! I did it!", Gene replied, cheering to himself. Jim looked off to the side, putting a hand to his mouth.

"I think I'm going to be sick..", he stated, groaning a bit. Gene just chuckled at him, as they continued on their way to Heifong. After a long 7 hours, they finally arrived at Heifong.

Gene pulled into a space port, and parked the ship. "We have arrived at Heifong III", Gilliam announced as the crew got up to exit the ship. Gene waved Gilliam off as they finally exited into world of riches' nightlife.

------------------------------**ANOTHER SCENE CHANGE---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

The crew wandered around the moonlit streets, trying to find a place to stay. Once they found one they could afford, Jim turned to Gene. "So Gene, what are these plans of yours?", he asked. Gene just patted his head, grinning.

"I have somewhere I have to be tonight, so take care of everyone else for me, okay?", Gene replied, before heading to their room. Jim just followed, not looking too happy about Gene's response. Once they were inside, Gene looked around. "Nice...", he simply commented, before looking at the door.

"I have to go get some things, and then I'll be gone for most of the night. Take care of yourselves", Gene said, walking out of the room with a wave. He then headed out of the hotel, and down the street.

_Now where did I see it?, _Gene asked himself in his head, looking around as he passed some stores. He finally found what he was looking for, and headed into a clothing store.

While in there, Gene began to look for a suit that he liked for Fred's party. He finally found a nice blue one with a black tie and black pants, and went to try it on. Thinking it was suitable, he bought it, then put it back on.

Gene exited the store, then looked at a street clock. _I should head to Fred's place, _Gene thought, walking down the street. He turned a corner, and he saw Luo Enterprises' Grand HQ come into view. _Here goes nothing, just act calm and don't look like a jackass, he thought to himself._

Gene headed into Fred's building, and took the elevator up to the 4th floor, which he knew was a grand hall, and imagined the party to be there. He was right in his thinking, for once he stepped out of the elevator, he heard chattering everywhere. He looked around and saw a lot of fancy-looking people, and instantly felt uncomfortable.

He walked around, looking around for Fred through the crowds of people. _Where are you Freddy boy? You'd better feel special because this will be the only time I'm looking for you, _Gene thought. Just then, he was surrounded by a group of men in black suits by a door, and they began talking to him.

"You sure you're in the right place? You look lost", one of them said. "Are you lost? Let's show him the way out", another added on. Gene was about to punch those two guys, when all of a sudden he heard his savior's voice.

"HEY! There you are Gene! You actually showed up, I'm so glad", Fred yelled out of nowhere, going up to Gene as the men surrounding Gene turned to look at Fred. Fred waved them off Gene, and took Gene's hands and led him away.

If Gene didn't have enough dignity, he would've clung to Fred at that moment like a lost little boy. He would've complained that he was abandoned, and would've left right then. However, he had his dignity and didn't do anything like that.

Fred brought Gene over to a group of guys that seemed nicer than the other group of guys Gene ran into. "This is Gene Starwind, the man I was telling you about. He's my special guest", Fred said to the guys, who looked at Gene. One went up and shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Starwind, Fred has told us many great things about you", the man said, giving Gene a smile. Gene noticed that the man seemed slightly older than himself, and just smiled back. Fred smiled as well, and Gene took in the sight of Fred.

Fred was wearing a white suit, with his hair pulled back behind his ears. He had a red tie to go with the suit, and Gene could finally see the earring that Fred had gotten hidden in his cartilage. Gene was there when Fred got that, and smiled at the memory.

Fred got Gene a glass of expensive wine, and Gene gladly accepted it, taking a quick sip. Finding the taste to be quite comforting, Gene drank some more. Fred chuckled as he watched Gene, then moved closer to him. "Lighten up Gene, now that everyone knows you're my guest, they'll treat you as they would myself", Fred said, placing a hand on Gene's shoulder and squeezing it a bit.

Gene looked at Fred, then nodded as he set his glass down. He glanced around the room, and wondered just how he could be accepted in a place like this. He decided he'd better stay close to Fred for the night, to avoid unnecessary questioning.

As time went by, Gene began to open up more calmly to the other guests, engaging in conversations with those that were curious as to how he knew Fred. "So you've been friends for a long time huh?", a woman asked. Gene nodded, and sighed a bit. "He's very handsome, I'd marry him if he'd let me", the woman joked, chuckling. Gene joined in the chuckling, then went back to Fred.

"Be careful, people are after your ass, and I don't mean those trying to kill you", Gene whispered, causing Fred to laugh. Fred put an arm around Gene's shoulders, and pulled Gene close. Gene allowed this, since it was a party after all.

Soon, one of the men called everyone to attention, and gave a small toast to honor Fred and his accomplishments as being one of the youngest men in the merchant business. Then a round of applause and cheering was started, in which Gene joined in. Then Fred was called up to say a few words, in which he did.

"I would like to thank you all for coming, since I wasn't planning on having this mny of you in my home. Seems the place isn't quite big enough to hold everyone though", Fred began, and laughter was heard from his lame joke. "Anyways...what can I say? My father taught me well, so I'll be sure to keep the business going for many years to come. Thank you all very much", Fred finished, sitting down.

Another round of applause was heard, and Fred just grinned, then raised his glass towards Gene. Gene grabbed his glass and returned the gesture, then they both shared a drink. Fred then stood up and went to sit by Gene, smiling at him.

"I've never seen you drink so expensively before", Gene teased, nudging Fred. Fred just looked at Gene, then sighed.

"This is a special occasion, so I decided to allow myself to divulge just a bit", Fred replied, looking around. Gene just smiled, and watched the party carry out. Once it had finally ended, Gene finally noticed how quiet it was in the building. He wandered outside to the balcony, where Fred had been standing. He went up and stood beside him.

"Great party, if I do say so myself. Congratulations on being the Top Snob of them all", Gene commented. Fred looked back at Gene, then rested his head against Gene's shoulder.

"I'm glad you came, I was actually able to enjoy myself with you here", Fred replied, not bothering to call Gene out on him being called the "Top Snob". Gene just gave Fred a small noise to show he had heard, and just stared at the city ahead.

Fred was quiet for a moment, then spoke up again, standing up straight once more. "Are you going to stay here long? In Heifong I mean", Fred asked. Gene shrugged, then looked at Fred.

"I might as well, seeing as how I'm a bit tired of traveling from place to place", Gene replied. Fred looked down, and gave a slight nod.

"Guess I'm to blame for that, I'm sorry. But..you didn't have to come you know", Fred added on, glancing at Gene, who was still looking at Fred.

"I didn't have to, but I had nothing better to do. If I didn't come, I'd hear you cry about it on the phone tomorrow", Gene responded, smirking a bit. Fred pouted at that comment.

"I wouldn't have cried...", he began, before glancing away. "Not a lot anyways..", he admitted, still looking away. Gene just chuckled softly, then went to sit down at a nearby table. Fred turned to face him, and just leaned against the balcony railing a bit.

"If you cried, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. You're my best friend after all, and I can't stand to see you sad", Gene admitted, looking at the ground. Fred just stared at him, then looked down himself.

"I don't feel sad because of you...I feel ashamed of myself", Fred said, causing Gene to look up at him. Fred was looking off to the side, and Gene decided he'd better ask.

"Why are you ashamed of yourself? I mean, look at what you've done with your life, and this party tonight. People respect you, I even respect what you've done", Gene stated, watching Fred.

Fred smiled a bit, and gave a slight chuckle. "You're too kind to me Gene, thank you. However, I wasn't talking about that. I know I'm liked and respected, however I know other things too. Things that might change peoples' perspectives of me, including you", Fred replied. Gene blinked, and continued to watch Fred.

"Even me? What could be so bad that it would change my perspective of you, and the people that respect you as well?", he asked. Fred closed his eyes and frowned a bit, as if those weren't the words he wanted to hear. Gene was about to take them back once he saw Fred's face, but then Fred looked up at him calmly.

"Do you really want to know what it is Gene? If you do, you must promise it won't change nor ruin our friendship", Fred responded. Gene thought about Fred's words for a moment, taking them in. _He's scaring me a bit, what could it be that I have to promise we'll still be friends?, _Gene thought, before making his decision.

"I promise you Fred, that no matter what it could be, we'll still be best friends", Gene responded. Fred didn't say anything after that, he just stared at Gene. After a few minutes, Gene watched Fred walk over to him, then slowly tilt his head up. Fred stared into Gene's eyes for a moment, before leaning in closer to Gene's face. Gene stared back at Fred for a moment, and then his eyes widened a bit at what happened next.

Fred closed his eyes, then leaned into Gene's face some more, and finally broke the distance between both of their faces by placing his lips against Gene's.

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**A/N: **Happy New Year to all of my readers and reviewers. I appreciate all the awesome reviews of this fic, and I thank you for them. I know the whole "light speed" thing with the ship probably would've killed the crew if it could actually happen, but is this fic about physics or about the greatness of my OTP? You decide that for yourself, and to the flamers: I hope this new year brings you some brains to go with the M-rated fic I'll write for you.


	4. Our New Relationship

Time stood still for Gene, as his best friend, the one he had known for most of his life, kissed him. Gene didn't know if he should push him away or not, but he decided that it would be best if he didn't. He didn't want to upset Fred, because Gene knew that Fred would never forgive him if he did.

Once Fred had pulled away from the kiss, Gene could only stare up at him. His eyes were full of shock, and something else that seemed like regret. Fred turned away from Gene, and walked forward about five steps, before sighing. He stood with his back to Gene, and spoke up.

"I've been hiding it for so long, or at least trying to. It's been my biggest secret, and I was afraid of what you'd say or how you would react if I told you. That's why I waited for years, I believe it was about five or six years to be exact, until the day when I would be brave enough to tell you. You may have wondered why I seemed so open, why I always hugged you so much, why I always did things for you that I never did for others money-wise, and why I always pretended to be joking when I flirted with you", Fred explained, before turning around.

Gene just listened to Fred, and was amazed at how much he didn't know. He had a feeling that Fred had considered him to be more than a friend, as a possible love interest. Gene never had the heart to confront Fred about his suspicions, because he didn't want Fred to think that he was crazy. He then decided to ask Fred one of the questions he was dying to ask.

"Are you confessing your love for me?", he asked, sounding more curious than confused. He just wanted to hear the answer from Fred, so that all things would be put onto the table. After a moment of silence, Fred walked over and sat in the chair beside Gene.

"That's what I'm doing, that's what I've wanted to do for these many years. I didn't want to lose your friendship however, and I didn't want you to avoid me. Every time we've seen each other, you seemed like you'd rather of been somewhere else. These last few days when we were able to spend time with each other, I was glad to see that you were calm, and not pushing me away. I believe that was because you were bored however, and had nothing better to do", Fred replied. He didn't sound angry with Gene, but Gene could tell Fred was pretty upset over this in a sense.

Gene didn't know how to respond to what Fred had just said, so he remained silent. He looked down at the ground, and after a few minutes, Fred spoke up again. This time, his tone was more calm and collected.

"I'm sorry, that didn't really sound right, truth as it is. Let me elaborate further, so you get a better understanding. Remember the day when you told me you were going out on your own to find a job? That was the day I was going to tell you, the day I was going to tell everyone. But I saw how happy you were about living on your own that I decided not to tell you. I never told my parents I was in love with you either, otherwise they'd forbid me from seeing you ever again, and then disown me. Can you blame me though? Making the decision and accepting the decision that yes, I don't want relationships with women, and that I was deeply and truly in love with my best friend, my only true friend, when my parents expected that I'd be married to some woman I don't want anything to do with, and then have children with that woman? The thought of it sickens me in more ways than one. If I wasn't such a coward with my true feelings, and everything else, I'd have damned my family and broken that stupid tradition. Although, I guess I have broken that tradition after all", Fred explained, giving a small smile after he was finished.

Gene just sat in silence with his eyes closed, and took in everything he had just learned, and everything he had heard from Fred's mouth. _My best friend is in love with me. I have a man in love with me, and the worst part about it is that it isn't a random stranger I can just push away and be scared out of my mind about it, it's my best friend, someone I've grown close with. It's too much...I don't know what to do, _he thought to himself.

There was an uneasy silence between the two men then, and it lasted for about ten minutes. After those ten minutes were up, Gene looked up from the ground. He stood up, and stared ahead before speaking up.

"This is a lot of information for me to take in, and I'm glad you told me. It must feel a lot better to have this weight off of your shoulders. I can see how you'd think this would change our relationship as friends, but I'm going to stay true to my word. I don't care if you like men over women, because that is something you should be able to tell me of all people. But...knowing that it's me you're in love with, it's difficult for me to say anything. I don't know what to do, I don't want you to get hurt, especially by me. So I cannot give you my answer just yet, hell I don't even know if I have one. I thought about what to say to you right now however, and here it is", Gene confessed, looking down at Fred, who looked up at him.

Fred stared up at Gene, and his eyes seemed to tell that he was afraid of what Gene was about to say to him. He had looked this way every time Gene pushed him away when Fred got too close for comfort, and he didn't want Gene to tell him something horrible.

Gene placed a hand on Fred's cheek, and kept it there. "I'm not going to avoid you, but I need time to consider. I need to figure out how to make this work if I can, and I need to figure out how to do it without hurting either of us. Once I do that, I will come back and give you my answer. But you must promise me, that if it's something you don't want to hear, then you need to move on. You cannot waste away knowing that it may be impossible for us to be together", Gene continued. Fred gasped softly at hearing those words, and looked away. He fought back his urge to cry, and then looked up at Gene, with a smile that anyone could tell was fake.

"I understand, and I'm glad to hear this won't change anything. I'll give you my word that I will wait for your answer, no matter what it is. And I promise...that I'll move on if it's not going to work", Fred replied, feeling like someone just shot him in the chest after speaking those last few words.

Fred put a hand up to his heart, expecting to feel blood there. When he didn't, he knew the pain was his own. He had just told Gene he would give up on him if it wasn't going to work, and that was like offering up your own limbs because someone told you you didn't need them anymore. Gene then removed his hand from Fred's cheek, turning to walk away.

"I'm not going to leave Heifong just yet, so if it makes you feel better, just remember that I'm close by, even if I'm not in front of you", Gene reminded Fred, trying to make him feel better. Fred just nodded behind his back, and took a deep intake of breath as tears came to his eyes.

Gene clenched his fists as he heard Fred beginning to cry. _Don't do this Fred, don't cry over me. It'll just make it harder on both of us if you do, _he thought, before leaving the room and getting onto the elevator, going down. Once Gene was out of the room, Fred put his head down into his arms and sobbed.

As Gene left Fred's building, he reached up to place his hand against his lips, which were still slightly warm, and then wiped away a single tear that had fallen from his eye. He then walked onwards, heading back to the hotel.

-------------------------------------**SCENE CHANGE-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Everyone was already asleep by the time Gene had returned to the hotel, and Gene decided to just head into his room that he was going to share with Melfina. When he was at the door, it suddenly opened and Melfina stood there, then jumped a bit as she saw Gene standing there.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I was going to check to see if you had come back. You startled me", Melfina said. Gene just smiled at her, and pulled her into a gentle hug. Melfina blinked, then smiled as she returned the hug. "Welcome back Gene", she whispered.

The next morning, Jim was the first to awaken. He checked the time to see that it was almost eleven o'clock, and decided to get out of bed and get dressed. Once he was all cleaned up and dressed, he came back out. On the way, he noticed the door to Gene and Melfina's room open, and peeked inside.

He noticed that Gene's bed was empty, and that it was made. "Did he not get back yet?", Jim asked himself softly, before walking onwards. When he walked into the kitchen, he happened to glance out the window and saw Gene standing on the balcony.

Jim headed out to the balcony then, but Gene didn't seem to notice he was there. Gene appeared to be lost in thought, or so Jim assumed. "Gene? It's not like you to be up so early", Jim commented. Gene didn't respond, nor did he move an inch.

"Gene? GENE!", Jim shouted, which finally snapped Gene out of his thoughts. Gene looked over at Jim then.

"Huh? What? Oh, it's you Jim. Sorry, I didn't hear you come out", Gene responded, earning a sigh out of Jim. Gene then looked back ahead, and stared into the distance.

"So, did you have a nice time at Fred's party?", Jim asked after a moment of silence. Once again, Gene didn't answer him. Jim then let out a sigh of frustration, and went up and tapped Gene on the arm. "Gene! I'm talking to you!", he added, snapping Gene out of his thoughts again.

"What? Oh, yeah it was a great party. Hey wait, how did you know about it?", Gene asked, looking at Jim in confusion.

"It's been all over the city. I saw flyers advertising it when we got here, and that's why I didn't say anything about it. But knowing you, I had a feeling you already knew and that's the reason you decided to come here", Jim replied, grinning a bit.

"Don't get the wrong idea, I couldn't turn down an offer to enjoy myself a bit. Besides, he's still my best friend and I couldn't just say no to him", Gene said. Jim nodded at this, then looked up at Gene again.

"Of course you couldn't. Now, let's go see if Melfina is awake, I'm starving", Jim said, walking back inside. Gene gave him a slight glare behind his back, before following him inside.

Gene sat at the table in silence as he ate breakfast with everyone, who were engaged in conversation. He then felt Jim nudging him, and Gene looked up to see everyone staring at him.

"So, what do you think?", Jim asked him. Gene blinked in confusion, and looked at Jim.

"About what?", Gene asked in return, causing Jim to sigh and shake his head. Jim got up and put his empty dish in the sink, and went back to the table.

"Haven't you been listening? We have to check out soon, so we were all thinking about exploring the city before heading to Starwind & Hawking's", Jim replied, looking at Gene.

"Oh yeah, I completely forgot. Yeah, we should definitely do that", Gene replied, grinning cheerfully. Jim just lowered his eyelids at Gene, and headed out of the kitchen to grab some things.

Once they were all checked out of the hotel, everyone waved good-bye as they headed out of the hotel.

------------------------------**ANOTHER SCENE CHANGE---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

The streets of the city were full of life, as people and cars filled the area. Gene and company headed down the sidewalks. Gene had his hands in his pockets, and wasn't really paying attention to anything.

They all stopped at certain stores to look around, but Gene didn't really bother to look, he just stood outside of the stores and leaned against the wall. The girls didn't bother to ask about it, but Jim knew something was up.

When everyone had their fill of shopping and wandering the streets, they found a spot near the park to sit and rest. Jim walked over and sat by Gene, who was looking at the ground as he was sitting.

Jim leaned in and spoke softly to Gene. "Something's up with you, and I want to know what it is. You've been like this all morning, and I'm starting to wonder. Did something happen last night that caused you to get like this?", Jim asked out of concern. Gene just looked at Jim a moment, then stood up.

"No, nothing happened. I have a lot on my mind right now, and I just need some time to straighten myself out", Gene replied, walking away from everyone. It was a small lie, but Gene didn't really want to talk about it. He came to a pole that had a sign on it advertising Fred's business, and Gene immediately turned away from it and walked away. He didn't want to think about Fred right now, it was still uneasy to do so.

After that incident, Jim and everyone else noticed that Gene seemed distant from everything. When they went to Starwind & Hawking's after their visit in the city, Gene went into his room and didn't come out the rest of the afternoon or night. He also didn't eat for three days that week.

On the fourth day of that week, Gene finally came out of his room, and was able to eat. He didn't talk much to anyone, so Jim just let him brood as long as he wished. Once the second week of Gene's silent phase came along, Gene started to lighten up, and actually enjoyed himself when everyone went out to go shopping or whatever.

By the third week, Gene appeared to have gotten a lot better, and actually participated in everyone's conversations. Everyone was relieved to see that Gene had gotten over whatever was bothering him, and decided to talk to each other about what could've been bothering Gene when he wasn't around to hear them. By the end of that week, Gene had brought home food for everyone as an apology for being so moody.

When Gene was lying in bed that night, he felt better knowing that he had gotten Fred out of his mind. He didn't want to think about anything that would bother him, so he felt relieved to have gotten everything out of his system, or so he thought. When he fell asleep, he had a nightmare he would never forget.

_Gene found himself running down a street during a thunderstorm, knowing he had to be somewhere. He found himself calling out Fred's name as he saw Fred entering a dark house._

_Fred didn't seem to hear Gene calling out to him, so he just went into the house. Gene followed him inside, brushing the rain out of his red hair. He looked around, hoping to see Fred somewhere, but all he saw was stairs, hallways, and doors._

_He heard the sound of a door opening, and then closing, and Gene went up the stairs closest to the noise, and looked around. "Fred! Where are you? I need to talk to you, so please answer me!", he shouted, walking down the hallway and checking inside of rooms. The sound of thunder roared outside, and a bright flash of lightning filled the hallway._

_Gene then heard the sound of crying coming from the end of the hallway, and made his way down it. He followed the sound, and entered the room it was coming from._

_Inside, he found Fred standing on a balcony outside a window. The window was kept open, and Fred was being drenched by the heavy rain. "Fred! Please, let me talk to you", Gene called out, but Fred didn't respond._

_After a few minutes, Fred spoke up. "I can't do it...I don't want to be miserable for the rest of my life. I love him so much, but we can't be together", Fred said aloud, not seeming to feel Gene's presence or hear his voice._

_That's when Gene saw the object Fred stood clutching in his hand. It was a small pistol, and Gene put everything together and started to panic. "Fred no! Don't do it!", he yelled out, running to Fred._

_Fred held up the pistol, and looked at it. "I love you Gene, I won't bother you anymore. So please, don't come looking for me", Fred said to himself, before holding the pistol up to his head. _

_Gene continued to run, shouting out to Fred, but then he heard the pistol go off, and saw Fred's body go over the balcony. He ran out to the balcony, reaching out to grab Fred. But it was too late, Fred's body had disappeared into the darkness._

_Gene reached out into that darkness, and began to sob. "I love you Fred, so please, don't die on me! Don't leave me alone!", he called out._

Gene woke up from that nightmare with a start, and found that he actually was crying. He sat up in bed breathing heavily, then put his face in his hands as the tears fell from his eyes. "Why can't I forget you? Tell me why...", Gene said to himself softly.

Jim awoke during the night, feeling thirsty. He got up and went to get a drink of water, then headed back to bed. He then saw Gene's empty but unmade bed, and got nervous. He went and got dressed, and headed outside.

He looked around, and was about to call out to Gene, when he saw a familiar redhead sitting on the grass not too far off. Jim headed over to Gene, and sat beside him.

"You scared me for a second there. You don't seem too good, are you all right?", Jim asked, looking over at Gene. Gene looked up, but didn't look at Jim. After a moment, he spoke up.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not. I'm going to tell you something, but promise you won't tell the others, okay?", Gene replied, looking at Jim. Jim nodded to Gene, and Gene sighed. "That night, at Fred's party, something did happen. After everyone else was gone, and it was just me and Fred, Fred told me he had to tell me something. He told me to promise that I would still be his friend after he told me, and I made that promise. Then..he kissed me", Gene started, and Jim's eyes widened a bit as he heard Gene say that Fred kissed him.

"He then proceeded to confess his love for me, and told me some things that aren't easy on the mind. I told him to give me some time to think about it, and then I'd give him my answer", Gene finished, looking down. Jim just took in everything that Gene told him, then closed his eyes and crossed his arms.

"First of all, let me just tell you that you have got to be the most pathetically oblivious person I've ever known", Jim replied. Gene turned and glared at Jim then

"What the hell is THAT supposed to mean?!", Gene exclaimed, and Jim just waved him off.

"Gene, that guy has been giving you looks as long as I can remember. I've seen them when you're not looking, and they're looks that one gives the person he or she is deeply in love with. I also got the hint when Fred made all of those passes at you. I'm surprised you don't know flirting when it's being done to you instead of you doing it to others", Jim continued, looking at Gene now.

"You're really helping my mental state, thanks a lot", Gene replied sarcastically. Jim just shook his head, then looked up at the sky.

"All jokes and insults aside, here's what I think. I'm actually somewhat happy for you. Honestly, I'm glad it's you and not me, but that's not the point. The point is that it's not anyone's decision but yours about what you want to do. You have to take a good look inside of yourself and determine what is best for the both of you. And you have to think about yourself just as much as Fred. If you base your decision off of what you think is best for Fred, it'll seem wrong for YOU because it's not what YOU feel is best for yourself. All I can say to you is really think about it, and no matter what your decision is, I'll support you", Jim explained, smiling at Gene.

Gene stared at Jim a moment, then stood up, smiling. "You're right, I think I'll do just that. Thanks a lot, that makes me feel a lot better". He rubbed Jim's head, then headed away from Starwind and Hawking's.

"I'll be back in a bit, so go back to sleep", Gene called out, before continuing on his way. Jim just watched him go, before standing up.

_Please make the right decision Gene, _Jim thought to himself, before heading into the building to go back to bed.

Meanwhile, Gene walked on down the city sidewalks, glancing at the lights of the buildings as he passed them. He was thinking about what he should do about his situation. _That nightmare, what does it mean? Why did I have it all of a sudden? It really hurts inside to think about it, _he thought, sitting on a bench.

After a few minutes, he started to think some more. _He has everything, yet I'm what he wants the most. Why is that? Why would he want me?, _Gene continued, looking up. After a few minutes, he realized something.

"Money cannot buy true love. It has to come from inside, and it cannot be bought with all the money in the world. He's been alone all his life, even though he has everything he needs. Since I'm out of his life, he hasn't had anyone to love or to get close to. I have people I can call friends, and I thought that I could spend my life with Melfina like we wanted, but we've grown more apart than close. I hate to admit it, but I'm alone as well", Gene said to himself aloud but softly.

He stood up, and headed down the sidewalk some more. He came to the park Fred had brought him to that one night, and headed into it. Gene walked on, until he came across the fountain. He walked over to it, and peered at his reflection in the water.

_I see now...he's been alone without me, and I've been alone. I shouldn't feel that way, but I too need to love someone as much as Fred loves me, _Gene thought, and then thought about something that's been bothering him. _Those dreams...are they a sign? A sign that I should be with Fred? Is it really possible, can I really make him happy?, _Gene thought.

Finally, it hit him, and he realized something he hadn't before. _I'm not lonely when I'm around Fred, he gives me a sense of security, a sense of warmth. I can't get that warmth from anyone else, even if I tried. I've had a difficult life, but it was Fred that came before me that made it all worth living. I've had a true friend, one that has grown so close to me and understands me so well, that he has fallen in love with me. I guess I don't blame him..., _he thought, then smiled.

"Besides, he's breaking his sacred family tradition for me, what is there to lose now?", he asked himself softly, then heard the sound of water being splashed around. Gene looked up, and saw the face and body of the person he was just thinking about.

Fred was sitting at the fountain, moving his hand along in the water. He gave a slight sigh, and then saw Gene's reflection come up beside his, and gasped. He looked up, and saw Gene standing there, and stood up.

"G-Gene! You scared me...what are you doing out so late?", Fred asked. Gene just looked away from Fred and up at the sky, before looking back at Fred.

"I came to give you my answer", Gene replied, moving closer to Fred. Fred watched Gene, and his whole world lightened up as Gene pulled him against his body, and kissed him deeply. Fred then knew that things were about to get better from that day onward.

Gene and Fred's secret relationship went on for two months, in which they saw each other every other day or night to go out on dates. Some times it would be Gene sneaking out to go see Fred at night, other times it was Fred sneaking out to go see Gene.

Whenever they felt like going out on daytime dates, Fred decided that he'd better make himself blend in with the crowd by wearing sunglasses and "common people's clothes", as he jokingly called them. Gene would just chuckle at seeing Fred in different outfits, and they'd go out to eat or to see movies or whatnot.

The best dates that the two had was when they'd both find a place to sit under a tree or on a bench, away from everyone. Then they would spend the rest of the day making out until sunset, when it was time for them to return to their homes.

One particular date was their 30th one, in which it was a night date. Gene had told everyone that he was going out to buy some things, but Jim could tell by Gene's attitude what was REALLY going on.

Gene met up with Fred by a thrift store, so they wouldn't attract attention from any passing people. Then they proceeded to walk hand-in-hand down the sidewalk, and talked about their days. They exchanged occasional kisses when they were sure they were alone, and found their way to a beach, and sat in the sand with their shoes off, so they could feel the waves.

"It's really peaceful here, I always wanted to come here, but it's always so crowded", Fred said as he watched the waves of the ocean. Gene nodded in response, and took hold of Fred's hand.

"Well, now you get your wish. We're here, together", Gene replied, smiling at Fred. Fred returned the smile, and they were both quiet for a moment, before Fred spoke up again.

"You know...I believe this has been our 30th date since that day", Fred said, watching the waves some more.

"You mean I've been dating you 30 times? Damn, how boring can that be?", Gene teased, then grinned. Fred gave Gene a slight glare, then tackled him to the ground. Gene started laughing contentedly as he began to struggle playfully, but then Fred pinned him down, laughing the whole time.

When they finished laughing, Fred let go of Gene's arms and kissed him deeply. Gene returned the kiss, and put his arms around Fred. Once they broke off the kiss, Fred stared into Gene's eyes, and Gene stared right back.

"I love you Gene, so much", Fred said, smiling at Gene

"I love you too Fred, let's stay together for many years to come", Gene replied, before kissing Fred again.

But as we all know, not all good things can stay that way. There is always something or someone that just has to get in the way of other peoples' happiness.

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**A/N: **Another cliffhanger? Yes it is, DEAL WITH IT! XP. You got your sappy romance, now it's time for the DRAMA. Kudos to those who can guess what I'm talking about in that last line. This is my gift to my readers since I got accepted into the college I wanted . Of course, to any flamers, and I don't mean people like Fred, I have a nice M-rated fic here in waiting for you.


	5. A Face I Didn't Want To See

Gene returned to Starwind & Hawking's the next morning, after dropping Fred off at his office. They had both fallen asleep at the beach during their date, after having so much fun. But now it was time to return to a normal day of work, and then relaxation.

"Good morning Gene, and welcome back", Melfina greeted as Gene entered. Gene gave her a soft smile and a gentle nod, then sat down on the couch. Jim was busy eating breakfast, while Melfina was busy cooking up more breakfast.

"Where'd you two go last night? You were out pretty late", Jim asked, glancing at Gene. He had accepted Gene's decision by now once he realized that Gene was really keen on having this relationship.

"We went for a walk, and then to the beach. We kind of fell asleep there, that's why I just got in", Gene replied, giving a nervous chuckle. Jim just smiled a bit and shook his head, while it seemed Melfina wasn't even listening.

Melfina brought Gene in some breakfast, in which Gene accepted gratefully, and began eating. There was some silence as Gene and Melfina ate, since Melfina had made too much food for one person. Finally, Jim stood up, and headed over to his computer.

Gene went and lied on the couch after he was finished with his breakfast, and just lied there. There was some more silence, until Jim broke it by making a small noise of concentration.

"So..we have enough of these, but we'll be running short of those soon. Then we have to look for more of these...", he mumbled, browsing through information on his computer. Gene glanced over at Jim, then slowly sat up.

"What are you talking about over there?", Gene asked. Jim turned in his seat and looked over at Gene after he was finished with his browsing. He stared at Gene for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, then finally said it.

"Hey Gene, why don't we go out and look around to see if we can get a deal on some parts? You don't want to ALWAYS rely on Fred, do you?", Jim asked, lowering his eyebrows a bit. This caused Gene to chuckle a bit.

"Yeah...I know. We should do that though, so we can actually say we're out on business", Gene replied, moving to stand up. He then stopped, as a sharp pain went up his back, causing him to wince.

"You okay?", Jim asked, before Gene finally stood up completely. Gene nodded over to Jim, and started heading over to grab something.

"I must've slept wrong last night, I'll have to remind a certain someone that we have to try not to fall asleep outside without some form of shelter", Gene replied, grabbing some keys. He headed to the door, Jim and Melfina following him. Once they were outside, Gene locked the door behind them, and they headed off in Jim's car.

--------------------------------------**SCENE CHANGE-------------**-------------------------------------------------------------

Gene drove through the city to save a long walk, and Jim and Melfina just looked outside at the various stores and buildings they passed. Gene couldn't help but smile as he felt at peace in the city, even though he didn't really fit in with most of the other citizens.

"Hey Gene, let's take a look in there", Jim said suddenly, pointing to a store on the left side of the street. Gene pulled over and parked near the store, and everyone got out. They headed into the store, which was full of ship parts and supplies.

Gene and Jim split up and searched different sections of the store, with Melfina following Jim. Gene looked around as he passed different kinds of ship parts. He then frowned as he noticed the prices, then sighed. _Luckily I can get better parts from Fred...but I can't keep relying on him, I know what he'll say. I need to start looking out for myself, like I promised him I would, _he thought to himself.

Jim came up to him after a few minutes of browsing around, holding a part in his hand. "Look at this Gene, and it's on sale", he said, holding out the part. Gene took it and looked it over. It was a part for the engine, and it looked pretty good.

"Are they really putting this on sale? Must be a catch of some sort", Gene added, looking it over some more. Finally, he handed the part to Jim again, heading toward the counter. "Let's get it", he said.

Gene paid for the part, then headed out of the store with the others. "Where should we go next?", Jim asked. Gene looked around, then rubbed his head.

"Let's drive around until we can find something", Gene replied after a moment, getting into the car. Jim and Melfina shrugged, then got into the car with Gene. Gene drove off into the city some more.

They stopped at certain areas, window shopping and actually shopping. They ate lunch when it got to be mid-afternoon, and then decided to head back when it was getting closer to the evening.

Gene happened to look over as they drove back to Starwind & Hawkings and caught a glimpse of Fred's building, and just smiled. Soon, they arrived back at Starwind & Hawkings and headed inside.

------------------------------------**ANOTHER SCENE CHANGE**-----------------------------------------------------------

Gene sighed as he flopped onto the couch and lied there. Melfina smiled at Gene as he lied there, while Jim was busy looking over the part they had bought.

"I'll make us some dinner", Melfina said after a moment, then went into the kitchen to prepare some dinner. Ashia decided that was the best moment to appear beside Gene.

"Hey there! Long night with your boyfriend huh? Bet he took good care of you really well since you seem so tired", she said in a teasing tone. Gene made an annoyed face at her, then turned his head away from her.

"I already explained this..I don't need to repeat it", Gene simply replied, as the smells of dinner filled the room. Gene slowly sat up, smiling at the delicious smells. He got up and went into the kitchen to watch Melfina cook.

Melfina smiled sweetly as Gene watched her cook, and served it when it was ready. As everyone sat down to eat, Jim spoke up.

"By the way Gene, you have a message waiting for you", he stated, eating up his food. Gene looked over at him, then finished eating before going over to the computer. He pressed a button on the keyboard, and a screen appeared, showing the face of Fred.

"Hello everyone! Just calling to check up on you guys and see how you're coming along. Anyways, I have something I'd like Gene to see, so please come visit when you get this Gene. I'll be waiting, bye now!", Fred said in a cheerful tone, waving to the screen after he finished speaking.

Gene closed his eyes and gave a small smirk, then walked over and grabbed his coat. "I'm being summoned, be back whenever", he said to everyone. Jim and Ashia shared knowing looks, then Ashia covered her mouth to stifle a snicker.

Gene headed out and began walking, not feeling up to driving to Fred's place. It took him about four long, but worthwhile, hours to get to Fred's place. He sighed once he got to the building, and headed in.

**----------------------------------MORE SCENE CHANGES-----------------------------------------------------------------**

Gene rode the elevator up to the top floor of Fred's building, knowing exactly why Fred had called him in. The elevator finally gave a soft beep, and the doors opened. Gene stepped out of the elevator, and headed down the hallway to Fred's office, passing through the metal detectors.

The two guards at the door automatically let Gene enter, in which Gene did. At hearing the door open, Fred looked over, and smiled instantly.

"Gene! You got my message, I'm so glad you came here", he said cheerfully, running over and hugging Gene tightly. Gene just smiled and returned Fred's hug, rubbing his head a bit.

"I'll never get a day off without having to see you, will I?", Gene teased, smirking a bit. Fred looked into Gene's eyes, then kissed him. Gene returned the kiss, smiling gently.

"Not really, because I'll keep you busy any ways", Fred retorted in a teasing tone, then heading over to sit down. Gene sat down as well, and crossed his arms.

"What is it you wanted me to see? Or is this just a pleasure visit?", Gene asked, looking at Fred now. Fred typed something into his laptop, and turned it around to show Gene.

"Take a look at this, it's a new product. It's going on the market tomorrow, and I'm going to be one of the first to receive shipments of it. I wanted you to see it, just in case you'd be interested", Fred replied, pointing out the products.

Gene looked them over, and showed some interest on his face. "A new model of turbo boosters, and a new weapon model for Grapplers. No wonder you wanted me to see these", he said. Fred smiled at Gene, and nodded.

"Ever since your ship became so well-known, people have been building and purchasing Grappler ships. Because of the increase, there's been a demand for new parts. This demand helps keep businesses like mine going, so I need customers. Please consider it sometime, and I'll give you a special discount", Fred added, a small glint in his eyes.

Gene knew that Fred was going into merchant mode for the time being, so he decided to play along. He reached out and gently placed a hand on Fred's cheek. "How about you set aside one of each of these parts and let me have them for free?", Gene asked, giving a small smirk toward Fred.

Fred just giggled at Gene, smiling gently. "I wish Gene, but if I just gave them away, I'd go bankrupt. Not going to please my satisfied customers that way", Fred replied. He knew Gene was joking around, and was just going along with the joke.

"Can I leave now?", Gene asked, a playful glint in his eyes. Fred frowned at him, and gently took hold of Gene's arm, his lips turning into a cute pout.

"No..don't leave me. You just got here, and I want to see you", Fred whined. Seeing the pout and hearing Fred whine caused a grin to form on Gene's face. He started laughing then.

"Don't cry now Freddy boy, I won't leave", Gene said softly, placing his forehead against Fred's. "I wanted to see you as well, because I missed you. Although I can't compete with your level of separation anxiety", he added, sticking out his tongue a bit.

"I do not have separation anxiety", Fred said with a hint of sternness in his tone. It disappeared when Gene gently kissed Fred again. Fred gave into the sign of affection and the minor apology, and their kiss turned into a deep one quickly. Fred broke it off after a few minutes, and stood up.

Gene watched Fred as he walked to the window, staring out into the darkness. "Something wrong?", he asked out of concern. Fred just shook his head gently, then looked over at Gene.

"I've had this feeling all day, this intuition if you will. You know how you get that feeling in your chest, the one that you believe is a sign of something bad? Well, I got that today, and I can still feel it, even now", Fred replied, looking down a bit.

Gene just smiled gently, and stood up. He walked over to Fred, and gently pulled him into a warm embrace, holding Fred against him. "It's okay, I'm here now. Nothing bad is going to happen to you", he said reassuringly. Fred accepted the embrace, and wrapped his arms around Gene.

They held that embrace for a few moments, until a loud boom of thunder startled them both. They gently broke away from the embrace, and looked out the window together. "I thought the sky was looking darker than usual", Gene said. It then began to pour, and a crack of lightning struck, followed by more thunder.

"I heard there was going to be a storm tonight. Sorry about just remembering it now, otherwise I'd have asked you to come see me tomorrow", Fred added on, moving away from the window and facing Gene.

Gene moved away from the window as well, raindrops appearing on the glass outside. "Fred, what did I tell you about apologizing for things that aren't your fault? I'm here because I want to be, not because I feel like you're forcing me to be here", Gene replied.

Fred blushed a bit then, looking away from Gene. "Well, I can't have you walking all the way back in this storm", Fred stated, and was quiet for a moment before his face lit up, and he looked at Gene again with a grin. "Why don't you stay the night? I'm sure the others know where you are, and that you won't be coming back in this storm", he added, taking hold of Gene's hands.

Gene just gave a nervous smile, knowing that Fred would suggest keeping him overnight. He then smiled warmly at Fred, and gave a slight nod. "Sure, I'll stay here with you. I can't let my Freddy stay all alone during the storm without being here to tuck him in", he replied, adding the teasing just for fun.

Fred lowered his eyelids at Gene as he was teased, and poked at Gene's forehead gently. "You forget that I'm both older and taller than you. I'll be tucking YOU into bed tonight", Fred responded. Gene smirked at this now

"Is that right? You'd take advantage of me like that? I'm surprised", Gene said, putting an arm around Fred's shoulders. "The things I learn about my best friend, you're disappointing me here", he added.

"I'll be damned if I was a replica of my father, so please tell me if I act like a spoiled and stubborn bastard", Fred said, walking away from Gene while playing with his right ear. Gene just watched him for a moment, knowing that on the inside, Fred was as much of an ordinary man as he was, but you'd never know it unless you knew him as well as Gene did.

"Yep...I'm glad I'm with him", Gene said to himself at last, and followed Fred. Fred began to lead Gene down the hallways while they engaged in idle chat. Fred pointed out the different rooms in the office, telling little stories about some of them.

_It's funny how I can pretend to listen to a woman talk about everything that I don't find interesting, yet Fred can talk about nothing and I can actually listen to him. I really have fallen fast, haven't I?, _Gene thought to himself as he listened to Fred talk about a room one of his associates thought was haunted.

As the night went on, Fred and Gene found themselves in Fred's room, since Fred had saved it as the last spot on his little tour. Gene took a moment to examine the room, and felt a bit uncomfortable at the sight of it. This room was quite different from the one at Fred's office on Sentinel III.

Inside, you could tell that Fred liked to spend his money on nice things only wealthy people could buy. Gene noted it was the least luxurious of the entire building, but it still looked like a room in a fancy hotel. It was the size of two small closets for one thing, with a large dresser with a mirror attached to it on one side, and a large bed with an expensive looking spread covering it in the center of the room.

Gene took note that everything on Fred's bed was made of fine silk. The bed was big enough to fit at least four people in it, but Gene looked around once more and noticed that Fred's bed looked like the most expensive thing in the room. "Did I just die two minutes ago?", Gene asked, staring at the bed.

Fred looked over at Gene a moment, then chuckled. "Yeah...I have to admit, I really like silk. It's a step up from what I'm used to, but hey, who doesn't like treating themselves to the finer things in life?", Fred replied, then took Gene's hand and lead him over to the bed. "Try it out", Fred offered.

Gene looked at Fred, then smiled as he lied down on the bed. Once he felt the silk hit his body, he instantly melted into the bed. "Mmm...this is nice. It's really comfortable, and I don't feel like getting up", Gene commented. Fred just smiled and giggled, then helped Gene up off of the bed.

"The blanket is made of cotton as well, so it's really warm. Come look at the bathroom, you'll really like this", Fred said, leading Gene to a door beside his dresser. Inside, was a bathroom the same size as the bedroom. It looked like a small spa instead of a bathroom. There was a large shower on one side, and a large tub on the other, which was surrounded by candles and various scented oils and shampoos and such.

Gene turned to Fred, and smiled. "I bet you spend most of your time in here", he said. Fred rubbed the back of his head, and nodded.

"It helps heal the fatigue I have after a long day's work. That's why I always look like I'm sitting on cloud nine", Fred replied. Gene was thinking the exact same thing that Fred had just said.

After Fred showed Gene his room, they went into a small kitchen upstairs and Fred made them both some warm mint tea to calm their nerves. Gene sighed contentedly as he drank his tea, and smiled. Fred drank his tea in silence, but looked to be in a state of peace as well. "Let me guess, more Luo family secrets and traditions on how to have a happy and successful life?", Gene asked, looking at Fred.

"You can say that, but I discovered some of these things on my own. I call them 'The Secrets On How To Remain Peaceful When You're Stressed Out By Customers' ", Fred replied. Gene chuckled a bit, and finished up his tea, as did Fred.

Once they were finished, Fred glanced at the time. "Already this late, and the storm isn't letting up. Oh well, let's get to bed", he suggested, standing up. Gene stood up as well, and they both walked out of the kitchen, then downstairs to the rooms.

Fred looked around in each of the five rooms he had in the hallway, which intrigued Gene since he had no idea why Fred needed five separate rooms. Finally, he stopped at a room across from his own. "You can sleep in here if you'd like, so that you're closer to me. That way, you can get me if you need anything", Fred said, looking at Gene.

Gene nodded, and headed inside. "Thanks for letting me stay here, I really appreciate it", Gene said, smiling. Fred gave a smile in return, and gave Gene a gentle hug.

"It's no problem Gene, I'd let you stay here anytime you want", Fred said, turning to head to his room. "Good night Gene", he added, walking to his room.

"Night Fred, sleep well", Gene answered in return. He then disappeared into the room, and went over by the bed. He stretched out, then stripped down to his boxers. He lied down on the bed, and closed his eyes. He then realized there was only one pillow on the bed, and he always slept with two.

Gene didn't think it was polite to just go steal one from another room, so he got up and left the room, going to Fred's. He noticed the door was open, and headed in. "Hey Fred, I wanted to know if..", he began, but stopped suddenly. He stood and watched as Fred slowly began to undress. It had seemed that Fred didn't see Gene walk in, so he continued to undress.

Fred had his jacket off and hanging on a chair in the corner, and was working on getting his long-sleeved shirt off. Once he had it off, he sighed a bit. Afterwards, he slowly got his pants undone and unzipped, and slid them off to reveal black boxers. Gene noticed how different Fred's body looked when he was undressed. Fred's clothes were actually hiding a nice body, Gene noted. Fred's chest and ab muscles were toned out pretty nicely, albeit not as muscular as Gene's per se. Fred had such broad shoulders as well, more broad than Gene's actually. Fred's legs were nice and slender, the kind you see on track athletes.

Fred stretched out a bit, groaning as he pushed against his shoulders. He walked over to his dresser, opening a drawer and pulling out a pair of black slacks. He put them on, and Gene noticed just how perfectly they fit Fred's body. Gene took notice of how perfect Fred's skin looked in the moonlight as well, almost like porcelain. He just wanted to touch it, wanted to feel it against his fingertips, and against his own skin.

Fred looked at himself in the mirror, then finally reached out up to his forehead and took hold of the red headband that he always wore to keep his hair back and out of his face, and slowly tugged it off of his head. He set it down, then gently shook out his hair. His fair fell out loosely, and down his head. His hair was actually longer than it appeared with the headband.

Fred then felt a presence in the room, and turned around slowly. Gene's eyes widened a bit as he was caught by Fred's gaze. But Fred didn't look all that surprised. "Oh, it's you. I didn't see you come in, did you need something?", Fred said, tilting his head a bit.

Gene just stared at Fred for a moment, then remembered why he had come in the first place. "Yeah, I was wondering..if I could have another pillow? There's only one in that room", Gene replied. Fred gave a gentle smile, and went over to his bed and grabbed a pillow, then walked over to Gene.

Gene smiled back, and reached out to take the pillow from Fred. In the process, he ended up accidentally bumping into Fred, causing them both to gasp a bit. Their bodies had both touched when that happened, and it caused a warm feeling inside of both men.

They each stared at each other, with Fred still holding the pillow. Soon, Gene moved closer and wrapped his arms around Fred. Fred slowly dropped the pillow as he wrapped his arms around Gene, and they gently pressed their bodies together, feeling each other's skin.

They stared at each other for what seemed like forever, their hearts beating faster in their chests. Finally, both of them closed their eyes and leaned in closer, and their lips met in a warm kiss. This kiss soon gained sparks and turned into a deep and loving kiss. Fred slowly moved against Gene, but the movement caused some minor friction of their skin, and it sent shivers up both of their spines.

Gene's hold on Fred grew tighter, as did Fred's. They broke the kiss after what seemed like hours, and stared into each other's eyes. Then they proceeded to place gentle kisses on each other's lips, and this time Gene moved against Fred, causing more friction.

When they were done kissing, Fred slowly glanced up at Gene a moment, his lips still inches from Gene's. "I love you so much Gene...", he whispered.

"I love you too Fred...", Gene whispered back, and then Fred broke the barrier between them and kissed Gene again, only this time, the kiss turned heated and passionate. Gene slowly moved back, and fell back onto Fred's bed, Fred landing on top of Gene. Their hold on each other and the kiss remained intact, and it was clear to see where Gene spent the rest of the night.

The next morning, Fred was the first to awaken, since he was used to waking up early. He got up out of bed and stretched, then looked back at the other figure in his bed. He smiled at Gene's sleeping form, then went into his bathroom to shower and get dressed.

Gene awoke some time after Fred had gotten out of the shower, and Fred was busy fixing up his hair. Gene sat up in bed, and yawned, before getting out of bed and stretching. Fred heard Gene get up, and turned to face him. "Good morning my red-haired angel", Fred greeted, smiling gently.

Gene got dressed and smiled back at Fred. "Morning", he simply greeted back. Fred walked over and hugged Gene gently, the scents of lavender body lotion and fresh spring rain shampoo evaporating off of his body. _Don't women use lotion and that kind of shampoo?_, Gene asked himself in his head, but shook it off as he returned the embrace.

In the middle of their embracing, one of the guards knocked on Fred's door. "What is it?", Fred called out in a business-like tone.

"A call from your father, Master Luo", the guard replied, and Gene felt Fred stiffen up a bit in his arms. Fred sighed, and slowly let go of Gene.

"I have to take this call, I'll be back. Stay here", Fred said, heading out of the room. He headed into his office, and sat down at his desk and pressed a button on his computer.

Gene waited for 15 minutes before Fred finally came into the room again. He didn't like the look on Fred's face, and prepared himself for bad news. "My father says I have to go to the house. He says there's someone he wants me to see", Fred replied.

"Is that all? I thought this was going to be something bad", Gene replied, looking relieved. Fred looked over at Gene, and hugged him.

"I don't want to leave you! I wish I could stay here with you, but I'd never hear the end of it from Dad", Fred said with a whining tone. Gene just chuckled and petted Fred's head.

"Don't worry about it. There's no more sign of rain, so I'll just head back. I want you to call me and tell me about your visit with your dad, just so you'll feel better", Gene said comfortingly, winking at Fred. Fred smiled, and slowly let go of Gene.

Gene headed out of Fred's room, and to Fred's office to grab his coat that he left the previous night. "I'll be waiting on your phone call, so make sure you call", Gene said to Fred, putting on his coat.

Fred smiled, and leaned up to gently kiss Gene. Gene smiled into the kiss as he returned it, then broke it off. "I'll be sure to call, count on it", Fred replied, smiling. Gene nodded, then waved to Fred as he headed out towards the elevator, onto the elevator, then out of the building and down the sidewalk.

Fred sighed, and grabbed some keys from a desk drawer and headed out of his office. _Who is it that Dad wants me to see? I hope it's not who I think it is..., _Fred thought to himself as he headed into the garage and got into a car, starting it up and driving out of the garage and toward his father's mansion.

**-------------------------------OH NO A SCENE CHANGE!-----------------------------------------------------------------**

Fred arrived at the mansion after about half an hour, and pulled up into the driveway, then shut off the car. He got out, and looked up at the mansion that used to be his home at one time. He dreaded coming back with a passion, but had to see what his father was talking about.

Fred entered the mansion, and walked down the hallway he used to wander as a young boy, then into a large room. "I'm here Dad", he greeted politely.

A man turned to face Fred, and looked him over. The man was basically an older version of Fred, only he had a mustache and was about 3 inches taller than Fred, and had much shorter hair. This man was Fred's father, Yang Luo, the former owner of Luo Enterprises.

"Ah yes, so you are. Come, sit down", Yang replied in a tone that gave off that he was a typical wealthy person. Fred complied, and walked over and sat down in a chair in front of his father's desk.

"You have been keeping up our family business quite well my son, and for that, I am grateful. However, what I am not grateful about is that you are not married yet. You are of the age where you were supposed to choose a bride and pass on the Luo family heritage", Yang continued. Fred lowered his eyelids a bit, not liking to hear those words that he heard so many times before.

_I still can't stand up for myself and say "Guess what Father? I'm not going to marry any woman you want me to because I am a flaming homosexual who is in love with my best friend". Sorry Dad, the Luo family ends with me, _Fred thought to himself, and just pretended he cared what his father was saying.

"Anywho, I called you here to bring you great news. Your bride has been chosen, and by you no less", Yang continued, and this information caused Fred to pay close attention to what his father was saying.

_A bride I chose? This must be a joke, I didn't choose anyone to be my bride. Unless, oh no..it can't be!, _Fred thought, his face showing some panic. Fred's father just grinned, and turned toward a door to their left.

"Bring her in, I want to see the lovely girl my son has chosen to be his bride!", he called to the door. The door opened, and Fred's worst nightmare came walking, almost running inside. For the person that entered the room, was none other than Reiko Ando.

"Fred! My love, I have come back to accept your hand in marriage!", Reiko called out with glee. Fred watched her come closer to him, and wanted to run. He remembered his last encounter with Reiko, which ended up with Fred in the hospital with a broken back and a broken hand. Fred could still feel the pain from that time.

Reiko had looked the same as Fred remembered her, a beautiful face stuck on the body of a bodybuilder who had a share of too many steroids. She was about ready to maul him, when Fred quickly ducked out of her grasp.

"R-R-Reiko! Good to see you again, how have you been doing?", Fred asked, faking like he was actually happy to see Reiko, when he was actually nervous that he'd get the shit beat out of him.

"Oh Fred, how I've missed you so. Every day, I thought of only you and being together with you. And now, I have returned!", Reiko replied, finally getting a hold on Fred and hugging him. Fred's father just smiled warmly, enjoying the moment.

"You've picked a fine lady to marry Fred, I'm proud of you. Your mother would've be proud of you too", Yang complimented, much to Fred's annoyance.

_Mom already knew I loved men, she'd never let me marry this she-man you bastard!, _Fred shouted in his head. He felt like breaking down and crying at this moment, but it'd get taken as cries of happiness so he held back.

"Miss Ando, you come from a fine family. I've met your parents, and they are delighted to hear about your engagement! Now, tell Fred what you told me", Yang said, smiling like the proud parent he was.

"Thank you Mr. Luo, I'm very honored to be Fred's fiancée. Fred, I have more good news. Know how you promised me we'd get married if I won The Strongest Woman in the Universe title five years in a row? Well guess who just won her fifth year title? That's right! So now me and you are officially engaged!", Reiko replied, grinning with joy. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she started crying. She finally let go of Fred as she did so.

Hearing those words, Fred's body went completely stiff. Why did he have to make that damn promise? Why was he such a coward that he couldn't confess his true motives? Fred just sat there, looking at the floor. This was going to be a long visit.

--------------------------------**SCENE CHANGE FTW!**-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, back at Starwind & Hawkings, Gene was sitting around waiting to hear from Fred. Hours passed, and still no phone call. Jim watched him at times, shaking his head at how desperate Gene was acting, it just wasn't like him.

"I'm just concerned about him, okay? He looked really unhappy", Gene had told Jim earlier. Jim then made a note that Gene had a soft spot for being so caring of others. It went on 9 PM, and Gene was getting worried.

"Gene...he's probably busy. Get some rest, and call him in the morning", Jim suggested. Gene just glared at him slightly, so Jim sighed and knew it was hopeless to argue with Gene.

Soon afterwards, the phone rang through the computer. Gene ran up to it, and saw it was an audio-only call. He saw it was Fred's number, and immediately pushed the answer button. "Hello? Fred, are you there?", Gene asked.

There was a moment of silence, before Fred's voice finally replied. "Yeah..I'm here. I'm calling on my cell phone, and I'm on my way to Starwind & Hawking's now. I really need to see you right now", he said. Gene noticed Fred sounded like he was on the verge of a breakdown.

"Yeah..I'll be here. I'll be waiting for you. You can tell me all about it", Gene said, before hanging up. He grabbed his coat and went outside, looking around for Fred. Fred pulled up to the building a few minutes later, and Gene got into the passenger seat.

Fred drove away from the building, and the car ride was complete, yet deadly, silence. Gene knew something really awful must have happened. Fred pulled over near his building, and got out. Gene followed him out, and they began walking.

They walked in silence, until they reached the park. Fred sat down on a bench, and Gene took a seat beside him. "Fred, tell me what happened. I want to hear all about it", Gene finally said.

Fred sat in silence until he finally looked over at Gene. "She came back...she..came back...", Fred began, tears welling up in his eyes. Gene blinked a bit, then put a hand to Fred's cheek.

"Who came back?", he asked. Fred fought back the tears that threatened to fall, and clutched at Gene's coat.

"Reiko...she came back. That's who my father wanted me to see, Reiko. She came back to tell me that she had won the title five years in a row. She actually did it Gene, so that means...I have to marry her", Fred finished, and he finally broke down and buried his face in Gene's chest and started crying.

It took a moment for Gene to remember who Fred was talking about, and had forgotten the promise Fred made to her. He didn't believe that muscular woman would actually be able to win five years in a row. It hurt him to think about it, about Fred having to marry Reiko.

"Fred...it's okay. We'll get through this...I'll be right here with you. We'll make it, and go through with it together", Gene said, trying to comfort Fred. Fred slowly calmed down, and looked up at Gene.

Without warning, Fred let a few tears fall down his face as he kissed Gene deeply. He broke it off after a moment, only to look at Gene. "I love you so much..I want to be with you. I want to be with only you", Fred said softly. Gene smiled at Fred, and rubbed his back as he held his boyfriend.

"I won't leave you..I promise", Gene replied, kissing Fred deeply. Fred returned the kiss, and both of them stood up and started walking down the sidewalk some more, holding hands.

What the two of them didn't know was they were followed. Reiko had come by Fred's office to pay him a surprise visit, but was told he hadn't got back. She waited for him, and finally saw him pull up and get out of his car with a man Reiko didn't know.

Reiko followed the both of them in secret, hiding behind corners so she wouldn't be seen. She had heard every word the two of them had said, and saw everything they did. When she heard Fred tell Gene that he loved HIM, that Fred wanted to be with HIM, and ONLY him and saw them kissing, Reiko's heart tore in half.

She started crying once she saw the two of them walking away together, feeling betrayed. This was quite a shock for her, and she just walked back towards Fred's office feeling all depressed. By the time she had gotten there, she started feeling all the things a woman would feel if she saw a scene like that.

Depression, jealousy, heartbreak, anger, all those emotions went through Reiko's mind. The emotions that overtook her however, was the feelings of anger and jealousy. She headed into Fred's office building, and up to his office. Once there, she went to Fred's computer and opened up a call link, and dialed up Fred's father.

After a moment, the voice of Yang was heard through Fred's computer. "Yes, hello Mr. Luo. This is Reiko, and I'm calling to inform you of some things you probably don't know about your son", Reiko said with anger in her tone.

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**A/N**: I am SO sorry that this wasn't updated sooner. I held off on this chapter for a week because I wanted to train for the anime convention I'm going to in a couple weeks. Gomen nasai! Please forgive me, but this chapter is now here. So your questions have been answered, and this is where the drama part of the fic begins. Prepare some more questions in your mind, and keep watching for an update!


	6. Will This Work Out?

In another part of the city, Gene was alone with Fred in a secluded spot in the park so they could have some peace. They had found a spot on the grass to sit, so they could watch the moonlight. Fred had cried for two hours since they had gotten there, and Gene could feel every string in his heart slowly breaking.

"It's getting late, we should head back to your place", Gene said somberly after the third hour had passed. Fred had quieted by then, but still looked like a wreck. He slowly stood up without a word, and started walking down the sidewalk.

Gene watched him, then slowly followed behind. They walked in silence for some time, until Fred decided to speak up, in a soft tone. "I don't know why I was surprised that this happened. I knew this day was bound to come eventually, and it frightened me knowing that I had to make a slip of the tongue those years back in order to save myself. That's all it is, fear. The fear of being rejected by my family, and the fear of being rejected by you. But now that I know you haven't rejected me Gene, I thought all of my fear would subside. Guess I was wrong in that assumption, I guess I just tried to push away my fear so that it wouldn't be obvious to you", he said, sighing a bit, then giving Gene a smile.

Gene listened to Fred speak, and couldn't help but feel bad. He felt like it was his own fault, like he was the cause of Fred's suffering. He decided not to word those thoughts for fear of upsetting Fred more, so he decided to take a different route.

Catching up to Fred, Gene put an arm around his shoulders and pulled Fred near him as they walked. "Don't talk like that Freddy boy, you're going to make me worry about you. If I have to start worrying about you now, I won't be able to concentrate on other things. I don't know how many times I have to tell you, but if it takes some time for you to get it into your head, I'll keep saying it. Don't get worked up over something you can change, something you can get through and come out knowing that you succeeded. I'm sure you know how to do that, right?", he stated matter-of-factly, returning Fred's smile.

This caused Fred's smile to brighten, and he leaned his head against Gene's shoulder. They continued to walk onward to Fred's place, talking quietly to each other. "Maybe you shouldn't walk like that Fred, it doesn't look comfortable", Gene suggested, to which Fred glanced over to him.

"Maybe if you grew a few inches...", Fred mumbled in response, but Gene heard him and nudged Fred off his shoulder. Gene scowled at Fred, much to Fred's amusement, who just giggled and started running.

"H-Hey! Don't run off on me, wait up! Fred, come back!", Gene shouted, then took off after Fred, both of them around the bend from the enterprise building by then.

----------------------------------------------**Back at Fred's Place****----------------------------------------------****------------------------------------**

Both men walked into the younger Luo's building hand-in-hand, to which Fred called "an accident". It was quiet in the building, and some of the lights in the hallways had gone off because of how late it was.

Fred began to ascend the stairs, to which Gene took a glance at the elevator and then curiously watched Fred before following him up the stairs. Once at the top, Fred walked down a dark hallway to a dim light coming from his office. Once inside, Fred shut off that light, filling the room with darkness and moonlight.

Gene went in after Fred, and glanced around, noticing they were alone. Reiko had left the building a few hours prior, but Gene thought the lack of guards was odd. "Hey Fred, shouldn't your bodyguards be watching this place?", he questioned, looking to Fred for the answer.

Fred looked back to Gene, raising an eyebrow curiously before realizing Gene wasn't familiar with the schedules. "Oh, well they usually are but they're on a schedule so they go down to the monitoring room after hours and take turns sleeping and watching the building", he replied, before heading towards the window.

Gene blushed a bit in embarrassment for asking such a stupid question, and rubbed the back of his head. A larger amount of moonlight caught his eye, and he looked up to see the source. Fred had pulled back the curtain on the window and was staring outside at the city below. Gene took note of how the moonlight seemed to illuminate Fred's features, then slowly made his way over to Fred.

The city below was quieter than usual because of the late hour, and most of the lights had gone out. The moon was beginning to make it's way to the other side of the world, so that the sun could rise and start the new day. Fred emitted a heavy sigh as he watched the city and mused, then spoke aloud.

"It's a city full of glamour and wealth, the city everyone wants to live in one day. This part of the world is full of happy memories, or at least it should be. However, I should not be in this part of the world because I am not happy. I do not belong to this city of fame and fortune, where the noise is too loud and there is too much energy for my tastes. Sure I've lived and been raised with that kind of lifestyle, so I'm used to it. It's not where I'm happy though, and I want to get out of this prison, this hellhole I'm damned to live in and have been my whole life. I want to be free to find the place I truly belong", he said thoughtfully yet softly, and Gene's eyes widened a bit.

Never has there been a time where Gene heard Fred speak so thoughtfully and so deeply, and it intrigued him. Fred had just earned more respect out of Gene, for being able to speak out of his facade. Gene went up behind Fred and slowly wrapped his arms around Fred's waist, and pulled Fred against him. "You're brooding again, you're no fun when you're sad. Have I not given you enough love? You seem satisfied with me, and yet you still speak of sorrow", Gene said in response to Fred's musing.

Fred just smiled at Gene and leaned his head back into Gene's neck, gently nuzzling into it. Gene took this as an apology, and just allowed Fred to continue. After a moment, Gene let go of Fred and turned to head towards the door. He was stopped, however, when he felt Fred's hand grab his arm.

"Don't leave, if you wouldn't mind I'd like you to stay here with me. Please Gene, I can't stand being without you after all I've had to deal with today, so stay the night", Fred pleaded, his eyes bearing into Gene's. Gene saw the pleading look in Fred's eyes, and was unable to protest. He just nodded, and placed a hand over Fred's.

"I'll stay here with you then, just so I can watch over you", he replied, earning a gentle smile out of Fred. Fred walked away from Gene then to head out of his office and toward his bedroom, and Gene just stood there. _I'll keep you safe and make sure you sleep well, but I can't promise it will be a constant thing, _he thought, afterwards heading after Fred.

Once Gene entered Fred's bedroom, he had to stop and stare as he noticed Fred was undressing for the night. He looked down and his face turned a light pink. _He has a manly figure and girlish skin, so don't even think about touching him in any perverse manners, even if he makes any passes at you. Ah shit, now I'm going to be thinking about that for a while, _Gene thought to himself, and his body tensed and he was snapped out of his daydreaming as he felt hands on his chest.

He looked up to see Fred standing there, wearing only his boxers and his headband. "You know, you shouldn't make a habit of standing in other peoples' doorways when they're changing, they might get the wrong idea", Fred teased, winking at Gene before heading over to his dresser to grab some slacks to wear.

Gene blushed even more, and emitted a soft growl as he began to pull his shirt off over his head, since his body had gotten quite heated in the past five minutes. He wondered if it would seem wrong if he kept his shirt over his face so that Fred couldn't see what he did to Gene. Nevertheless, he got undressed down to his boxers and climbed onto Fred's bed.

By the time Fred had turned around from his dresser, he saw Gene curled up on his bed with a pillow over his face. He couldn't help but chuckle as he saw this, and went over to his bed and got in it beside Gene.

Fred began to run his fingers over Gene's chest and stomach, tracing his many scars. It was his favorite way to tease Gene physically, because Gene always shivered afterwards. Which is what Gene happened to do, and also made a noise that sounded like a mixture of a whine and a moan. Hearing that, Fred had to calm the fire that began to rage inside of him that was begging him to take this relationship he had with Gene to the next level.

Gene reached out and caught Fred's wrist, since he had the same feeling Fred had and still wasn't ready to go to that next level. He uncovered his face and stared at Fred with half-lidded eyes. "Shouldn't you be going to sleep instead of molesting me?", he asked, which made Fred grin.

"You didn't seem like you wanted to sleep", Fred replied in a teasing tone, then curled up beside Gene and wrapped his arms around him. Gene smiled at the warmth he felt from Fred's body, and he turned around in Fred's arms so that he could face Fred and be able to feel more of this warmth.

"Thank you for staying by my side when I was having a tough time earlier", Fred whispered to Gene, who gave a slight nod in response. Fred then reached out and petted Gene's hair affectionately, mouthing the words "I love you" with his lips.

Seeing Fred mouth his affection, Gene moved closer to Fred's face, closing his eyes as he captured Fred's lips with his own. Fred closed his eyes as he felt Gene's lips against his own, and began to kiss Gene deeply, and then this sweet moment turned into a make-out session that went on until both men fell asleep.

---------------------------------**THE NEXT MORNING--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Gene had a dream that he was walking through a vortex that led to nowhere it seemed, and the air was really cold. However, he was covered in a large, very warm blanket that helped him to be able to continue walking. He was almost near the end of the vortex when loud knocking filled his ears.

His eyes shot open as he was startled awake. His "blanket" made a soft groaning noise as he woke up. Fred slowly sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. Gene looked up to see that a window had been left open. _That explains why my head is cold, _he thought. "What's going on? Who woke me up this early?", Fred asked, sounding slightly peeved. A voice behind the bedroom door answered him.

"Master Luo, it's almost noon and you also have a phone call", the voice of one of Fred's bodyguards said. Fred just stared at the door, then slowly lied back on his bed.

"Tell them I'm not available, and will call back later", Fred called out, and there was a brief silence before the guard spoke up again.

"It's the elder Master on the phone for you", the guard added, and Fred gasped as he sat up again. He slowly stood up and got dressed, then fixed himself up before turning to Gene.

"Stay in here, if my father sees you here with me, we'll both be in a lot of trouble", Fred whispered, before heading out of his bedroom to take the call from his father. He went to his office, and took a seat at his desk, then pressed the blinking "Hold" button on the phone, and his father's face appeared on the screen, and he looked seriously pissed off.

"Good morning Dad, what did you need to talk to me about?", Fred asked in a calm tone, his eyebrows twitching a bit as he saw the look on his father's face. _Something is up..._, he thought, then his father spoke up.

"You know exactly the reason why I am calling you young man. I cannot speak of the matter right now, but I expect you to come by here at two o'clock sharp. I will expect you no later, otherwise you'll face the consequences. Do I make myself clear?", Yang replied in a hard, stern tone. Fred lowered his eyelids a bit, and didn't answer at first.

_I'm not your little boy anymore you bastard, so don't treat me like I am, _he thought, before putting on a calm face. "I understand, I'll be there. See you then, good-bye", he replied, disconnecting the call. He put his head down on his desk, and sighed, before standing up and going into his room.

Gene watched Fred enter once more, and watched as Fred grabbed some clothes and headed into the bathroom to shower, without even looking at Gene. Gene blinked as he sensed a strange air of uneasiness. He decided not to question it, and just got dressed.

Fred returned to the bedroom after some time, all dressed and cleaned up. He went over to Gene and gave him a hug and a kiss. "Morning darling, make me breakfast okay?", he teased, hiding a smirk. Gene knew Fred was joking by his tone, yet rolled his eyes.

"Do it yourself, I'm not your slave", Gene replied, and Fred pouted at him. Fred took hold of Gene's hand and led him out of the bedroom and over to the kitchen, which smelled of food. On the table, breakfast foods were already cooked and ready to eat. Fred and Gene both took seats at the table, since Gene had stayed at Fred's for breakfast before.

They both made plates and began to eat, saying some minor things to each other now and then. It was a quiet breakfast otherwise, and afterwards their plates were cleared. The two of them began to take a walk through the hallways, and Gene decided to ask Fred about the call.

"What did your old man have to say? It doesn't sound good based on the way you looked after you got off the phone with him", Gene said, as he looked at Fred. Fred made a soft noise in his throat, then sighed a bit.

"He's treating me like a kid, as usual. He also wants me to stop by and see him in a couple of hours, he says we need to talk about something important. He seemed pissed off for some reason, so I'm not sure what's up", Fred replied, taking hold of Gene's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Gene knew Fred only did that so he wouldn't lose his composure, and he understood completely. He knew Fred's father to be a spoiled rich man, and had tried bringing Fred up to be the same way. He counted his lucky stars knowing that Fred didn't turn out to be like his father.

"I hate to send you away, but I'll probably be out for some time, and I don't know when I'll get back", Fred added after a moment of silence, then stopped to give Gene a warm hug, which was returned.

"Don't stress out over it, I'm sure it's nothing", Gene said, trying to comfort Fred. Fred nodded then, and let go of Gene. They began to head towards the front of the building then, so Fred could see Gene off.

Once there, they exchanged a deep but promising kiss, and Gene waved bye to Fred as he headed off towards Starwind & Hawking's. Fred watched him go, feeling aggravated at his father for interrupting them.

----------------------------------**To Starwind & Hawking's------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Jim looked up from his magazine as he heard the door open, signaling someone had just returned. Gene walked into the room, and Jim gave him a knowing glance. "Good afternoon Mr. Starwind, here to collect your things to go live with your lover?", Jim asked in a mock host voice.

"Why don't you bite me?", Gene replied with sarcasm, muttering to himself as he walked past Jim, and Jim caught something that sounded like "Damn punk, maybe I will get the hell out of here".

Gene walked around, until he came to his room. He headed inside, and looked around as he walked over to his bedside table and opened a drawer. He pulled out a small box that was inside, and examined it contents before closing the box.

He held the box in his hand for a moment as he stared at it, then put it back inside the drawer. _Soon...I'll give it to him, _he thought to himself. He looked out the window, staring at the afternoon sky.

--------------------------------------**Back at Fred's Place-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

It was almost two, and Fred was making some final adjustments to some new transactions, before he shut down his computer and headed out. He got into the car that was waiting for him, and sat there as the car took off and headed towards his father's mansion. _I have this really weird feeling, like something really horrible is about to take place_, he thought to himself as he crossed his arms while waiting for the car to arrive.

----------------------------------**To The Luo Family Mansion--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Soon, the car pulled up to the gate of the mansion, and then into the driveway once the gate was opened. Fred exited the car, and headed into the mansion, walking through the hallways until he reached his father's office.

Once inside, Fred took a seat in front of his father's desk. His father meanwhile, had watched him come in and still looked none too happy. "You know why you're here, and I want an explanation", Yang said in a scolding tone.

Fred looked around, then shrugged. "No I don't actually, why don't you tell me why I'm here?", Fred replied, staring his father straight in the eyes. Yang then stood up from his seat, and leaned over his desk a bit.

"I was informed last night by Reiko that you are currently engaged in a relationship. A relationship, with a MAN no less! This is unacceptable, as it is blasphemy. You are well aware of our family's tradition, which states you must marry a WOMAN, and you must produce an heir to pass on our family business. So you WILL obey this tradition and stop this relationship you are in", Yang explained, and his words set a nerve off inside of Fred. Fred was not only angry at Reiko for finding out and then telling his father, but that his father was making decisions for him again.

Fred stood up in his chair, and faced his father with a cold stare. "I am sick of being treated like a child. How dare you tell me what is right and what is wrong. Are you so selfish that you only think of your own needs instead of those around you, even your own family?! I'm surprised you didn't realize it sooner, that I never looked at women that way, and that I always enjoyed the company of men. You expect me to get married to some woman who is probably more of a man than I am, just so you can make me miserable?! I don't think so, I'm making my own decisions. I will not marry Reiko, no matter if I die in the process!", Fred exclaimed, before sitting down and facing away from his father.

Yang was in shock, he was speechless for some time as he took in all of his son's words. Finally, he began to blurt out his thoughts in a rage. "I...will...NOT tolerate your incompetence! You have no right to speak to me that way, so you will do EVERYTHING I say. I will not have a fag for a son, so if I catch you with that guy you're so fond of, I will personally have him eliminated as well as isolate you here for the rest of your life!", he yelled out, and his words hit their mark.

Fred twitched as his father called him a "fag" for one, and then his heart twisted in his chest as he heard his father's threat. He fought back the strong urge to burst into tears, and just stood up slowly. "Fine...have it your way. I won't see him anymore, if that's your wish", he simply said, then turned to walk out of the office. He stopped at the door, then turned to his father.

"By the way, I told Mom about my orientation before you made her kill herself. If she was alive today, she would understand my pain, and maybe she would be able to show you what a bastard you really are", Fred said in a cold tone, his voice cracking a bit. He then opened the door and headed out, and Yang's eyes filled with what could've been remorse as he turned to look out the window.

Fred left the mansion and got into the car again, and he was driven back to his building. Once inside, he headed up into his bedroom, and lied on his bed. He couldn't hold back anymore, so he burst into heavy sobs.

--------------------------------**RANDOM SCENE CHANGE--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Meanwhile, Gene and crew were busy working on the Outlaw Star at the spaceport. Gene and Jim had gone out to buy some necessary supplies to make some adjustments, while Melfina was cooking dinner.

Once they had all finished working and eaten dinner, Gene looked over at the clock for what seemed like the twentieth time that day. It read 9:30 PM, nine and a half hours since he had left Fred's place. Jim saw this happening, and rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure he would've called if he got back. He'd want to tell you how everything went", Jim said, trying to give Gene minor comfort. Gene looked at Jim for a moment, then back to the clock.

Gene gave a sigh, then sat down on the couch in what they called the living room. "I guess you're right, but he's usually back by now", Gene said, then closed his eyes. _I must be getting too paranoid, _he thought.

As ten rolled by, Gene couldn't stand waiting any longer. He went to the phone and dialed Fred's place, and after three rings, a bodyguard answered.

"Hello, Luo Enterprises. How may we be of service?", the guard answered in a business-like tone. Gene rolled his eyes, then spoke up.

"Yeah, is Fred around? He was supposed to call me", Gene replied, watching the guard and the area around him for any signs of Fred. The guard looked to the side however, then at Gene.

"I'm sorry Mr. Starwind, but Master Luo is currently not accepting personal calls. You'll have to try tomorrow", he said, and Gene was about to say something, but the call was cut off.

"What the hell was that all about?", Gene asked himself, as he held the receiver away from his ear. _And why wouldn't Fred be accepting calls? Something is seriously wrong here_, he thought to himself, then hung up the receiver and headed out.

Gene ran the whole way towards Fred's building, and stopped to catch his breath once he got in the vicinity of the building. He looked up in time to see a figure walking around the corner and away from the building. Closer inspection showed it to be Fred, and Gene ran off after him, calling out to him as well.

"Fred! Where are you going? I want to talk to you!", Gene yelled out, but to no avail. Fred didn't stop walking, nor did he seem to hear Gene. He turned into the park that Gene had confessed his love for him in, and stood at the fountain.

Gene panted as he caught up to Fred in the park, and just watched him. _This air, it's not right. I feel as if there is someone watching me from nearby, aiming a gun at me and getting ready to shoot, _he thought, approaching Fred and gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Fred...why didn't you answer me? I was calling and calling you", Gene said, and Fred reached a hand up to gently remove Gene's hand from his shoulder. He turned to face Gene, and Gene saw tears in Fred's eyes, as well as traces of tears on his cheeks.

Fred took Gene's hands in his gently, and stared into Gene's eyes. A calm wind blew through both men's hair, as they stared at each other for what seemed like forever, before Fred finally spoke up.

"It's done Gene, I can't do it anymore. We can no longer be together, so you'll have to forget me. Move on with your life and find someone else, but don't come looking for me anymore", Fred simply said in a soft tone, then let go of Gene's hands and walked away from him.

Gene stood there frozen in place, not believing what he had just heard. He could've sworn he heard a gunshot, because he felt a bullet pierce his heart and kill his soul.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** Here it is, it's FINALLY written. I am so, so, SO very sorry about not updating this a while ago, but real life caught up to me. I went to two cons, had stuff to do on weekends, and I caught the procrastination bug very badly. But here it is, another chapter full of questions. What's going to happen next? What is the gift Gene wants to give to Fred? Is the relationship officially over?! Find out in chapter seven for answers! And as always, if you flame this, Gene will be forced into bondage and will suffer at Fred's mercy. Do you really want that? Didn't think so flamers/haters


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